This article was written for Petside.com
Funky Meets Functional: Green Monster Dog Wear
Fun and funky apparel for your four-legged friends looks great but don’t you hate when it takes forever to figure out how to button, snap or Velcro those adorable outfits? Then after finally getting the darn garment on correctly if it’s not made well you’re going to have a heckuva time. I do. If it’s made from stiff, uncomfortable material my little buddy thrashes and bucks like a horse—he’s only 18 pounds, but still…
Imagine my joy when I found clothes made of dog-friendly, soft fabrics that let dogs be dogs. The flannels, prints, corduroys and denims are predominantly 100% cotton, with some made of fleece or wool blends. Each is hand crafted and machine washable. Designed to easily slip on over the head, the jackets are held secure with a single point of closure under the chest. GreenMonsterdogwear is for those pets (and pet owners) who like to, as Madonna says, express themselves.
Overnight Success
Green Monsterwas founded January 2012 by Haley and Jessica Pryor. The Atlanta-based couple began making dog jackets last December for their own pets—a Tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Megaball (yup, the lottery game), and Oliver, a Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix. The company name is a tribute to the Pryor’s late pet, Green Monster (see the ‘Green-spiration’ page on their website).
“Last Christmas,” Jessica said, “we realized we were on to something.”
Indeed they were. By January 1st their clothes were available online at Etsy. In early February they partnered with The Gap to outfit 30 dogs for a fashion show sponsored by a local rescue organization, Angels Among Us. “The Gap dressed the humans and we dressed the dogs!” said Haley.
Late February, the Pryors had already secured three pet store wholesale customers in Atlanta. On March 10 they launched HeyGreenMonster.comand now Haley and Jessica are gearing up for Super Zoo, the national show for pet retailers in September.
Green Monster’s fall collection will be made up of three parts:
- ‘Bite Me’ — Dogwear based on food and edibles.
- ‘Birds of a Feather’ — Bird designs: owls to songbirds to penguins.
- ‘Treehuggers’ — Outdoor recreation themes such as hiking and camping.
Each jacket is reversible because as Haley says, “There’s more than one side to your pet’s personality.” To learn more watch this video.