Introduction
Many dog owners struggle with the inevitable problem of dealing with shedding dog hair around their homes. Constant vacuuming and cleaning can feel never-ending. But did you know there are creative ways to repurpose all that dog hair? In this article, we’ll explore the untapped market potential for selling bags of dog hair and look at the whole process from collecting the hair to attracting buyers.
Selling dog hair may seem unusual at first, but with some imagination, dog hair can be turned into crafty products or used for practical purposes like cleaning up oil spills. By the end, you’ll see the surprising value in those furry clumps accumulating around your home.
Why Sell Dog Hair?
Dog owners often struggle with excess dog hair around the home that requires constant cleaning and disposal. This superfluous hair can be seen as a nuisance and aesthetically unpleasing. Selling this otherwise wasted product provides a solution for eliminating excess dog hair through profitable means. Turning trash into treasure, dog owners can actually make money from something that would normally just be thrown away.
As dogs shed their hair, especially during seasonal coat changes, owners can end up with mounds of discarded fur. Rather than struggle to dispose of it all through regular trash and vacuum cleaning, the hair can be collected, cleaned and sold. This gives a new life and purpose to what would normally be treated as garbage.
For crafty and creative entrepreneurs, gathering large amounts of dog hair to sell and turn into crafts or products can be a lucrative business opportunity. The global market for unique and sustainable goods continues to grow. Upcycling dog fur into salable merchandise allows sellers to tap into this expanding consumer demand. What is utterly useless waste in the eyes of many becomes a profitable ingredient or component in the hands of others.
Collecting the Dog Hair
There are several methods to collect dog hair for sale. The most common way is by brushing and combing your dog regularly. Certain dog breeds like collies, huskies, and German shepherds have thick double coats that easily shed, making brushing a necessity [1]. A shedding blade, slicker brush, and undercoat rake can help remove loose hairs before they fall all around your home.
Dog hair also gathers on furniture, rugs, blankets, and other textiles. Using a lint roller,vacuum, or rubber broom is effective for pulling up hairs from surfaces [2]. Collecting after grooming and vacuuming/lint rolling textiles allows you to gather a sizeable amount of clean, untangled dog fur.
Proper storage is also key. Place the collected hair into resealable plastic bags or airtight containers. This prevents the hair from become dusty or dirty before sale.
Preparing the Dog Hair
Properly preparing the dog hair is an important step before offering it for sale. According to Craft Me Happy, dog hair for spinning should always come from brushings rather than clippings. Only the finer undercoat should be used.
The first step is washing and thoroughly drying the dog hair. Any debris or dirt can be removed during this process. According to AKC, the hair should be laid out flat and allowed to completely dry before moving to the next steps.
Next, the dog hair can be sorted by color, curl pattern, and length. Separating the hair into uniform batches will allow for niche marketing opportunities and specialized pricing. For example, long straight white hair may demand a higher price than short black curly clumps.
Before packaging the dog hair for sale, inspect each batch to remove any remaining tangled clumps or debris. Use a fine-toothed comb or pet slicker brush to catch any lingering pieces that would lower the quality. The end result will be clean, untangled dog hair ready for arts, crafts, or textiles.
Pricing Your Dog Hair
When determining how to price your bag of dog hair, there are several factors to consider:
Amount collected – Dog hair pricing will depend on how much you have available to sell. Collecting a large bag of hair will allow you to charge more overall. Consider pricing by the ounce or pound.
Quality – The condition and cleanliness of the hair will impact the price. Well-groomed dog hair free of debris and tangles can command a premium.
Breed popularity – There is demand for certain dog breeds’ hair for spinning into yarn (HomeGuide). Retriever or sheepdog hair may fetch higher pricing.
Production time and costs – Factor in the time spent collecting, cleaning, and packaging the hair. Your labor and materials deserve compensation.
Compare to other animal hair products – Angora rabbit or alpaca hair sells for $25-50 per ounce typically. Price dog hair competitively.
Bulk pricing – Offer discounts for larger quantity purchases. This incentivizes bigger orders.
Be transparent about pricing factors on your website or in ads. Provide options at different price points and quantities. Offer periodic sales or deals as well. This gives buyers opportunities to get dog hair at a bargain.
Marketing Your Dog Hair
There are several effective methods for marketing your bagged dog hair to potential buyers:
Create professional online listings with photos on marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon Handmade (Etailize). Make sure to take high quality photos that showcase the different colors and textures of hair available. Write detailed product descriptions highlighting the unique attributes of your dog hair.
Reach out directly to artisans and crafters who may be interested in purchasing your dog hair in bulk quantities for projects. These could include spinners, weavers, felters, and dollmakers. Join relevant Facebook groups and forums to connect with them.
Promote your dog hair through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Share photos of finished products, works in progress, and behind the scenes. Use targeted hashtags and captions to attract potential buyers.
Set up a booth at local craft fairs, farmers markets, and flea markets to sell your dog hair in person. This is a great way to meet local artists and demonstrate the quality of your product. Make sure to bring business cards and promotional materials.
Run occasional promotions and limited deals like free shipping over a certain purchase amount or percentage discounts for first-time buyers. Offer special bundles around holidays and gift-giving occasions. This can help incentivize purchases.
Uses for Dog Hair
Dog hair can be put to good use in a variety of creative ways. Some of the most popular uses include:
Spinning dog hair into yarn for knitting and weaving projects is a great way to reuse fur. The texture and durability of dog hair makes it well-suited for knitting items like scarves, hats, sweaters and more. Sources like Very Important Paws provide guides on spinning dog hair into yarn.
Stuffing pillows, pet beds and dog toys with dog fur is an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fills. The fur provides a natural warmth and texture. Some crafters even use felted dog hair to create charming rugs and wall hangings.
The coarse texture of dog fur also makes it ideal for crafting paintbrushes. Anglers sometimes use clumps of fur to create fishing lures as well. The AKC notes felted dog hair can be used as natural fertilizer for gardens too.
Dog fur is also surprisingly effective at absorbing oil spills. Organizations like Matter of Trust collect dog and human hair donations to create booms and mats for oil spill disaster relief efforts.
Customer Testimonials
Our customers have loved using their bags of dog hair for various creative projects and crafts. Here are a few of our favorite testimonials from happy dog hair buyers:
“I bought a bag of hypoallergenic poodle hair from this seller to make small stuffed animals for children in the hospital. The fur was super soft and perfect for this use! The kids loved cuddling the tiny stuffed poodles.” (Source)
“As an amateur fly fisherman, I purchased a bag of water dog hair to use in tying flies. The hair quality was amazing – it floats perfectly and has just the right texture. My hand-tied flies using this fur have never failed me on the river.” (Source)
“I’m a fiber artist who creates unique felted sculptures. This bag of multi-colored dog fur was ideal for felting. The colors blended beautifully, and the fur quality was top-notch. My latest felted creation was a big hit at the local art fair!” (Source)
As you can see from these reviews, our customers find creative uses for our quality dog hair bags. Whether you’re crafting, knitting, felting or more, our fur will meet your artistic needs!
Legal Considerations
Before selling bags of dog hair, it’s important to check your local regulations. Many states and municipalities require permits or licenses to sell animal byproducts like dog hair. According to the PA – Fur – Dog and Cat Product Act, it’s illegal to sell dog or cat hair in Pennsylvania without proper authorization.
You’ll also need to consider the tax implications of any income made from selling dog hair bags. The income may need to be reported and taxes paid accordingly. Consult a tax professional to ensure you comply with state and federal tax laws.
Additionally, it’s vital to ensure the ethical treatment of dogs when collecting their hair for sale. Only collect hair that falls out naturally or with the dog’s consent. Never pluck or cut hair from a dog without permission from the owner. Adhere to your local humane society’s guidelines for ethical treatment of animals.
With proper permitting, tax compliance, and ethical treatment of animals, it may be legal to sell bags of dog hair in your jurisdiction. But be sure to do thorough research into all applicable regulations first.
Conclusion
Buying and selling bags of dog hair can benefit buyers and sellers in unique ways. For sellers, collecting and preparing dog hair results in a valuable grooming and bonding experience with their pet. Sellers can make extra income by marketing this unusual product. For buyers, dog hair has creative uses like stuffing pillows, making clothing, or arts and crafts. Customers praise the high quality and soft texture of locally-sourced dog hair.
If interested in purchasing ethically-sourced dog hair, contact the seller through the listing to arrange for purchase and delivery. With its novelty and wide range of applications, artisanal dog hair makes for a truly distinctive product.
For those seeking a quirky and sustainable craft material or pet grooming method, bagged dog hair offers a compelling value proposition. Contact the seller today to get your hands on this uncommon commodity.