6 Eco-Friendly Dog Toys That Aren’t Ruff On The Planet
Don’t let those puppy dog eyes, soft fur, and wagging tail fool you, even the cutest pup can chew through most plastic toys (and space in our landfills). So opting for more eco-friendly dog toys is one way to reduce that impact.
Whether your pooch hangs out at home during the day or holds an important job, we love to see them treated with dog toys made from recycled plastic or natural, non-toxic materials.
Our new Brand Rating System now takes what we look for in sustainable brands much further, including things like customer (in this case pooch) safety, climate action and product performance. Take a look at our explainer here to learn more about this new system and look out for our rated dog toy brands on the list below – these are the pawsome brands who have chewed the extra mile to demonstrate deeper transparency.
1. The Kind Pet
The Kind Pet’s Boba & Vespa range has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
The Kind Pet sources products from the most sustainable brands, so you don’t have to sacrifice hours finding a sustainable option, like cork dog harnesses, organic dog paw salve, or sustainable dog treats. Each option on their site comes complete with a “Sustainability” and sourcing tab that clarifies the end-of-life option per product.
Their own range (Boba & Vespa) of dog toys are made with organic materials and come highly rated by customers (see our review and video below).
2. West Paw
Price Range: $8–$37
Each of West Paw’s durable dog toys is made with a specific type of play in mind–whether your dog likes to toss, tug, or think.
The certified B Corp’s entire collection is BPA and latex-free, and dishwasher safe so you can clean them with less yuck factor.
If your playful pooch has destroyed every plush, polyester fiber-filled stuffy, you’re not alone. Their Rowdies with HardyTex and reinforced mesh are more durable plushies, built to keep the IntelliLoft filling made of recycled plastic bottles inside for longer.
Their more durable ZogoFlex chew toys (like the Hurley) can be chewed up (by a machine this time) and re-made into new recycled dog toys with their Join The Loop program.
3. Beco Pets
Price Range: $6–$23
Beco Pets’s makes more sustainable dog toys for rough chewers. Their non-toxic range will satisfy any pooch (and their caring human). They offer durable plastic-free toys made of sustainably tapped natural rubber.
If you don’t mind recycled plastic, their squeak toys feature about 15 plastic bottles. Most sustainable are their organic hemp dog toys, like the Hemp Ring, which is perfect for multi-dog tug-o-war games.
4. KONG
Price Range: $7–$29
KONG is the king of the most durable dog toys. They make nearly any toy you could imagine—ropes, bones, puppy toys, antlers, and treat-stuffable chew toys.
You can search for a toy to meet specific criteria, like the type of play, features, age of the dog, and material. We like the last function because KONG has both sustainable dog toys as well as those that aren’t as Earth-friendly.
If you need dog toys for tough chewers, bite into the Extreme KONG, made from only the toughest USA natural rubber. For those who want to give toys in the form of time-consuming treats, the Classic and Extreme can be stuffed with treats. They also sell wild Grade-A elk antlers that have been naturally shed, so no elk are harmed.
They also have polyester plush toys, tennis balls covered in a scratchy felt fabric, and PolyTuff toys that are made from undisclosed materials. We would steer clear of these as far as “good boy toys” go.
5. Pawsome Pet Toys
Price Range: $4–$35
Hemp fabric is the basis of all of Pawesome Pet Toys’ non-plastic, BPA-free dog toys. Hemp is antibacterial, mold-resistant, UV-resistant, durable, and, most importantly, grown without toxins and herbicides.
From heavy-duty tug toys to snuggly wool bones, Pawsome makes dog toys for labradors, chihuahuas and every breed in between. You’ll find hemp rope and hemp fabric in most products, with stuffed toys featuring additional natural, locally sourced wool stuffing.
6. Ware Of The Dog
Price Range: $15–$24
Ware of the Dog’s hand-crocheted dog toys are not made for serious chewers, but they take the award for most adorable.
Even if it doesn’t last long, you can feel good about cleaning up its remnants, since these natural dog toys are made with either 100% recycled cotton t-shirt yarn, 100% organic cotton, or lambs wool. That means they’re swallow-safe and fully compostable, down to the natural Swiss dyes with an OEKO-TEX certification.
