How This Dog Mom Turned Her Laundry Woes Into a Dog Bed Business

As pet gear goes, your dog’s bed is sacred: It’s their safe haven where they curl up for naps, doze off to sleep at night, and hide their favorite bones and toys. But it’s also a part of your home that can get dirty fast—and washing a dog bed can be, well, a real pain.

Molly Mundt, co-founder of Molly Mutt wanted to fix that. Her expertly designed beds, blankets and crate covers aren’t just gorgeous to look at—they were developed with ease (and sustainability) in mind.

A textile designer by trade, and a lifelong dog lover with two pups of her own, Mundt’s mission is to make life easier and more beautiful for pet parents—all while preserving the beauty of planet Earth, too.

Get to know Molly, how her dogs inspire her designs, and the true story of how a trip to the laundromat led to launching her business.

BeChewy:

First, tell us the story of how Molly Mutt was born. We hear it involves … laundry?

Mundt:

It does! I live in San Francisco, a city that’s notorious for its steep hills. About 12 years ago, I was living in an apartment without a washer or dryer, so I had to haul my basket of dirty clothes up and down those steep hills to and from the laundromat. There were three dogs in my home at the time—my Jack Russell Terrier named Bean and black Labrador Retriever-mix Macy, and my roommates’ dog, a yellow Labrador Retriever named Ribs—so I would very often have to put the dogs’ beds on top of the basket, which made the journey even more cumbersome.

One day, while I was struggling up yet another steep hill with my arms full of dog beds, I thought, “Why don’t they make covers for dogs beds? That would make this so much easier.”

When I got home, I sketched a design of a dog bed cover that would go over an existing bed and could easily be removed when it needed to be washed. That was the very beginning of Molly Mutt!

Making laundry hauls easier is definitely a worthy goal. But your dog bed covers have other perks too, right?

It was always about more than laundry. I wanted to create something that would cut back on waste. The covers can be put around existing pet beds, so you can change up your design aesthetic without buying something totally new.

You can also use the covers over our Stuff Sacks, which are mesh inserts that you can fill with seasonal items such as sweaters, blankets or extra linens when not in use. It’s a space-saving, eco-conscious solution that also creates a cozy resting spot for your pet.

There’s a dog-friendly bonus to using your own clothes or items, too. It means your scent will be on the bed—something many dogs find comforting. This could even be useful when bringing home a new rescue or foster pet, to help them acclimate to you and their new surroundings.

What other sustainability hacks can you recommend to pet parents?

I have so many! First of all, remember that cheap things are expensive—meaning, investing in longer-lasting products now will help you avoid replacing them more often in the future. Try not to buy things you know will end up in the trash. And if it seems too good to be true, that’s usually because it is. For example, a “buy two, get one free” deal. Ask yourself: Do I really need a third one?

I also often remind myself that simple is best—and that can apply to a million little things. So, if you’re going somewhere, walk there if you can. Borrow what you can instead of buying it, those sorts of things. Little things add up to a big impact!

You’re the artist behind the patterns on Molly Mutt fabrics, right? Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

That’s right—the designs of the pattern on Molly Mutt’s fabric are all me, and I get my inspiration all over the place! I love being out the world and shopping and seeing what people are doing and wearing. I’m obsessed with museums—I love the de Young Museum, which always has the coolest rotating exhibits. Being immersed in creativity and culture always gives me new ideas.

How do the dogs in your life influence your designs?

The Molly Mutt “office” is a warehouse where most of us work, and many of us bring in our dogs. So I get to be around all kinds of dogs all the time—small dogs, medium dogs, big dogs, and they all have such different personalities, so it’s fun to imagine what patterns they might like the most.

Of course, I also look to my own dogs’ personalities and quirks. The dogs who were with me when Molly Mutt first started have since passed, but now I have Pickle, a Terrier mix with spiky orange hair, and Bacon, a black and white Chihuahua. They help me choose what colors work best for our products based on the colors of their fur.

I just enjoy making things dogs and customers love. I love dogs—crusty dogs, cute dogs, crazy dogs, all the dogs! And the fact that people choose the things that I draw and put them in their home, and it makes their lives easier or prettier—I mean, that’s the reason I do this.

1. What’s the best thing about living in San Francisco? The view from any direction! You’ve got cool architecture, the bay, the bridges, the hills—all of it.
2. What’s your least favorite chore—is it still laundry? Honestly, it’s probably grocery shopping. Going in person is such a chore, but I get stuck in a rut if I order online. Non-food shopping, on the other hand? I’m ready any time!
3. Quirkiest pattern you’ve ever designed?I designed a library pattern, with shelves full of books and vases and other curiosities like a ship in a bottle. It wasn’t super popular, but it was a real challenge and I just adored it.
4. Pattern or print you’d love to design if there were no boundaries?I would love to design a pattern that’s mostly white—but of course, because I’m designing for items to be used by dogs, that one will have to stay in my mind.