ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
Our Environmental Impact & Sustainability Commitment
At Aurora Paws, we believe that loving our pets shouldn't have to come at the expense of the planet.
Founded in Yorkshire in 2021, Aurora Paws was created with one simple ambition: to challenge the way traditional dog toys are designed, manufactured and ultimately disposed of.
As a small, independent business run by just two people, we understand that we cannot change the world overnight. But we also believe that meaningful change begins with the choices we make every day, however small those choices might seem.
From the natural materials used in our toys to the recycled paper in our marketing, the packaging we reuse and the vintage furniture that forms our exhibition displays, we continually look for opportunities to reduce unnecessary waste, make better use of existing resources and minimise our environmental footprint.
Our guiding principle is simple:
Pet & Planet First.
It's not just something we say. It's something we strive to demonstrate through our decisions, our products and the way we operate.
Rethinking Dog Toys – Naturally
Challenging the throwaway culture
The pet industry has traditionally relied heavily on synthetic materials, including plastics, polyester fillings and artificial fabrics.
While these materials can be inexpensive and convenient, many conventional dog toys can be difficult to recycle, particularly when different materials are permanently combined.
When these toys eventually reach the end of their useful life, they may end up in general waste and ultimately landfill or incineration.
At Aurora Paws, we wanted to explore a different approach.
Rather than simply creating another dog toy, we set out to rethink the materials from which our toys are made.
Our focus is on replacing unnecessary synthetic materials with thoughtfully selected natural alternatives wherever practical.
Our core materials include:
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Natural suede: Used for the exterior of many of our toys, providing texture, character and a natural alternative to synthetic fabrics.
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Jute fibres: A plant-derived material used as a filling in many of our designs.
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Compacted cotton: Natural cotton fibres compressed together using water and pressure to create a dense, resilient core without relying on conventional synthetic stuffing.
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Hemp and cotton rope: Natural fibre alternatives used in our rope toys and selected designs.
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Recycled materials: Where a product requires a crinkle feature, some of our designs incorporate repurposed plastic bottles rather than newly manufactured plastic inserts.
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Our aim is to design products that make thoughtful use of natural materials while continuing to provide the enrichment, stimulation and enjoyment that dogs deserve.
A different approach to a toy's lifespan
Not every toy is completely plastic-free, and different ranges contain different materials. We believe customers deserve to understand these differences rather than be presented with blanket environmental claims.
We don't believe a dog toy has to remain in perfect condition to continue providing enjoyment.
For example, some of our compacted cotton toys can continue to offer supervised enrichment even after their outer suede covering becomes worn.
This encourages owners to consider whether a toy is genuinely at the end of its useful life before discarding it.
Our toys are not indestructible, and responsible supervision is always essential. Loose or damaged components should be removed whenever they present a risk.
Our philosophy is not simply about what a toy is made from, but also how it is used, cared for and eventually disposed of.
Reducing Waste & Making Better Use of Natural Resources
One of our most important design considerations is how we can make more meaningful use of materials and resources.
Suede and leather are central to many of our designs. Where these materials are sourced from the wider leather industry, our aim is to make practical use of animal-derived materials rather than rely exclusively on newly produced synthetic alternatives.
We recognise that leather and suede have environmental impacts of their own, including those associated with livestock, tanning and processing.
For this reason, we do not claim that natural materials are automatically environmentally superior in every respect.
Instead, our focus is on considered sourcing, making appropriate use of available materials and reducing unnecessary waste.
Designing with waste reduction in mind
Our products begin with original designs created here in the UK.
Throughout the design and development process, we consider how different shapes, patterns and materials can be used as efficiently as possible.
We are particularly interested in developing products that can make use of smaller sections and offcuts of suede and leather which might otherwise have limited applications.
By exploring designs that accommodate these smaller pieces, we hope to improve material utilisation and reduce avoidable manufacturing waste.
This is an area we intend to continue developing as our range grows.
Our ambition is to see potential in materials that others might overlook.
Giving Old Furniture a New Purpose
Our commitment to reducing waste goes well beyond the toys themselves.
If you have visited Aurora Paws at Crufts, Goodwoof or one of our many independent events, you may have noticed that our exhibition displays are a little different.
That's because much of the furniture used to showcase our toys is vintage, second-hand or repurposed.
Rather than purchasing entirely new commercial display systems for every event, we prefer to seek out existing pieces of furniture that can be restored, adapted and given another chapter in their story.
From old shelving and wooden furniture to characterful display pieces, we believe that something doesn't have to be brand new to be beautiful or functional.
This approach helps us to:
Extend the useful life of existing furniture.
Reduce demand for newly manufactured display fixtures.
Avoid unnecessary disposal of usable items.
Create exhibition displays that can be reused across multiple events.
Celebrate the character, workmanship and individuality of older pieces.
Our displays are designed to evolve with us, rather than being discarded and replaced every season.
And quite frankly, we think a beautiful old piece of furniture has far more personality than another mass-produced plastic stand!
For us, sustainability is as much about what we choose not to buy as what we choose to purchase.
Packaging, Printing & Everyday Business Waste
Small decisions with a bigger purpose
As a product-based business, we recognise that packaging is necessary to protect goods during storage, transport and delivery.
However, we believe that packaging should be practical and proportionate, rather than excessive.
Wherever possible, we aim to minimise unnecessary packaging and reuse materials that are already available to us.
Our everyday practices include:
Reusing cardboard boxes
We reuse suitable cardboard boxes and packaging materials where practical, helping extend their useful life before they enter the recycling or waste stream.
Recycled paper marketing materials
Where available and suitable for their intended purpose, we choose recycled paper for our business cards, printed promotional materials and other marketing literature.
Reducing unnecessary printing
We favour digital communication, electronic documentation and paperless processes wherever practical, reducing the need for printed paperwork.
Reusing exhibition materials
Our exhibition fixtures and display accessories are designed for repeated use, helping us avoid the unnecessary waste associated with disposable event displays.
Keeping packaging under review
As our business develops, we continue to consider where packaging can be reduced, reused or replaced with more appropriate alternatives.
We know that individual actions such as reusing a cardboard box or selecting recycled paper may seem insignificant in isolation.
But when those decisions become part of everyday business practice, they help establish a culture in which waste is questioned rather than simply accepted.
Responsible Manufacturing & Ethical Partnerships
Small businesses supporting small businesses
Although Aurora Paws is a British business and all our toys are designed here in the UK, our products are manufactured in India by a small, family-run manufacturing operation.
We believe it is important to be open about where our products come from.
Our relationship with our manufacturing partner allows us to develop original designs using the skills, materials and craftsmanship available to them.
We work closely together throughout the design and sampling process to create products that meet our expectations for quality, function and material selection.
We recognise that international manufacturing and transporting finished products to the UK creates an environmental footprint.
We do not pretend otherwise.
Our aim is to make thoughtful manufacturing decisions, carefully plan production and continually look for ways to improve the efficiency of our processes as we grow.
We also believe that responsible business means maintaining respectful working relationships and recognising the people and craftsmanship behind the products we sell.
Sustainability should never be considered solely in terms of materials. People matter too.
Understanding What Happens at the End of a Toy's Life
An ambition to reduce landfill waste
One of the driving forces behind Aurora Paws is the amount of pet-related waste that can enter the general waste stream.
Many traditional dog toys contain combinations of synthetic fabrics, plastic components and fillings that can be difficult to separate or recycle.
By designing our core ranges around natural materials such as suede, jute, cotton and hemp, we are working towards creating products with more responsible end-of-life possibilities.
However, we also recognise that natural does not automatically mean certified compostable or biodegradable under all conditions.
How a material breaks down depends on its composition, processing, treatments and the environment in which it is disposed of.
This is why we want to take our environmental credentials further.
Our next ambition: independent scientific verification
We are actively exploring independent UK-based testing to better understand and verify the biodegradability and compostability characteristics of our toys and their individual materials.
This type of specialist testing can require substantial investment, particularly for a small business like ours.
Our ultimate ambition is to provide our customers with independently supported information about what happens to our products at the end of their useful lives.
Until appropriate testing has been completed, we do not claim that every finished Aurora Paws toy has been independently certified as compostable or biodegradable.
For toys containing recycled plastic bottle inserts, those plastic components must be treated separately from the natural materials when considering disposal.
We believe being transparent about what has and hasn't yet been scientifically verified is just as important as the environmental improvements we are trying to achieve.
We don't just want to make environmental promises. We want to build the evidence to support them.
Award-Winning Recognition for Our Commitment
Crufts 2026 – Agria Sustainable Exhibitor Award
In March 2026, Aurora Paws was incredibly proud to receive the Agria Sustainable Exhibitor Award at Crufts.
For a business operated by just two people, this was a truly special moment.
The award recognised the efforts we put into creating a business and exhibition presence built around more thoughtful environmental practices.
From our natural-material dog toys and considered approach to packaging to our repurposed display furniture and efforts to minimise waste, every element plays a part in the bigger picture.
Receiving this recognition at one of the world's most prestigious dog events was an important milestone in our journey.
It reinforced our belief that smaller, independent companies can make a meaningful contribution to conversations about sustainability within the pet industry.
Crufts 2026 – Best Small Trade Stand
We were also delighted to receive the Best Small Trade Stand Award at Crufts 2026.
This was particularly meaningful because our stand was created with a strong emphasis on character, originality and the creative reuse of existing furniture and materials.
We wanted to show that a beautiful, engaging retail environment doesn't necessarily require everything to be brand new.
Our display is proof that vintage pieces, a little imagination and careful presentation can create something special.
Goodwoof 2026 – Best Stand
Our first appearance at Goodwoof, held at the beautiful Goodwood Estate, brought another wonderful achievement when Aurora Paws was awarded Best Stand.
Once again, our distinctive presentation and carefully considered exhibition space helped us stand out.
While this award was not specifically an environmental certification, it demonstrated how our approach to reusing furniture and creating original displays can sit comfortably alongside high-quality presentation and design.
Recognition is wonderful. Responsibility matters more.
We're immensely proud of these awards, but we don't consider them the finish line.
For us, they're encouragement to keep improving, keep learning and continue challenging the way we do things.
Our Environmental Priorities for the Future
As Aurora Paws grows, so does our responsibility to understand and manage our environmental impact.
We don't currently claim to be carbon neutral, zero waste or entirely free from environmental impact.
Instead, we want to be open about where we are now and the improvements we are working towards.
Our key priorities include:
Independent environmental testing
Seeking funding and technical expertise to investigate formal biodegradability and compostability testing of our products and materials.
Increasing material efficiency
Exploring further opportunities to incorporate smaller suede and leather offcuts into new product designs.
Reducing packaging waste
Continuing to review our packaging choices, increase reuse and avoid unnecessary single-use materials.
Developing natural-material alternatives
Investigating new materials and manufacturing techniques that could help reduce dependence on synthetic components.
Improving supply-chain transparency
Working with our manufacturing partners to better understand material sourcing, production processes and opportunities to reduce waste.
Measuring our impact
Exploring practical ways to record our packaging use, material waste and other meaningful environmental indicators, allowing us to report on progress with greater accuracy.
Sharing what we learn
Helping our customers understand the materials in their dog toys, how to care for them and how to make more informed purchasing and disposal decisions.
These are ongoing commitments and development priorities, not claims that every objective has already been achieved.
Why Small Changes Matter
We're a small Yorkshire business, not a multinational corporation with enormous budgets, specialist sustainability departments or unlimited resources.
Most days, we're juggling product designs, packing orders, speaking to customers, attending events and doing all the things that come with running an independent business.
But we don't believe being small should be an excuse for doing nothing.
If anything, it gives us the opportunity to make thoughtful decisions and build responsible practices into our business from the beginning.
Sometimes that means choosing recycled paper over new paper.
Sometimes it means reusing a cardboard box instead of throwing it away.
Sometimes it means rescuing a beautiful old cabinet and turning it into part of our exhibition stand.
And sometimes it means spending months researching how we can improve the environmental performance of something as simple as a dog toy.
We won't always get everything right, and we know there is still so much more to learn.
But we'd rather be a small business making genuine, measurable progress than one making grand promises without the evidence to support them.
Our Promise – Pet & Planet First
When we first created Aurora Paws, we wanted to do something a little different.
We wanted to bring more natural materials, thoughtful design and greater environmental awareness into a market that has long relied heavily on synthetic products.
Today, that ambition remains at the heart of everything we do.
We promise to keep questioning, keep improving and keep making responsible decisions wherever we can.
We will continue exploring better materials, reducing avoidable waste, making use of existing resources, supporting responsible manufacturing and working towards independent verification of our environmental claims.
We cannot promise that our business will ever have zero impact on the planet.
But we can promise that reducing unnecessary impact will always remain part of our decision-making.
Because we believe our dogs deserve wonderful things, and the planet they love exploring deserves our care too.
Aurora Paws – Pet & Planet First.
Thoughtfully designed in Yorkshire. Created with natural materials. Committed to doing better.
