Our furry four-legged companions have taken the lead in the fashion world, becoming trendsetters themselves. What used to be a niche market is now becoming a mainstream trend. As per research reports, the global pet clothing market size was valued at US $ 5.19 billion in 2021 and it is projected to reach US $ 7.66 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4 per cent from 2022 to 2031. India with approximately US $ 1 billion market of pet care, has a share of around 15-20 per cent when it comes to pet clothing.
However, our obsession with dressing up our pets is not new. We’ve seen photographs of Paris Hilton’s chihuahua in diamond-studded tiaras and Lady Gaga’s French bulldog in pearls and headdress. But since the pandemic, there has been an exponential rise in the demand for petwear as during that time, people got more time to spend with their pets. India, with approximately 32 million pets, is witnessing many emerging brands in this segment that have been started by passionate pet lovers; at the same time, international brands are also foraying into this market.
As our furry companions gear up to make their mark in the fashion world, we catch up with Indian petwear brands which are leading the pack.
Factors contributing to the growth
Top global brands Tommy Hilfiger, H&M, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Prada, Celine, Christian Louboutin are offering a variety of pet clothing. Millennials are opting for canine companions over children, choosing the simplicity and unconditional affection of pets over the challenges and costs of raising kids. Many Americans invest more in their pets annually than on themselves, as revealed by a survey of 2,000 dog and cat owners conducted by OnePoll. The study found that 52 per cent of respondents allocate a larger portion of their budget to their pets than to their personal expenses. Another survey revealed that about half of US pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member. Numerous studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support and boost your mood.
Growing pet population is another significant reason pushing the demand in this segment.
Compared to 56 per cent in 1988, around 66 per cent of US households in 2023 own pets and this trend is projected to continue further. The largest number of pet owners in the US and across the globe are millennials. According to American Pet Products Association (APPA), there are 32 per cent of pet owners in US belonging to the millennial generation. Though pet clothing across the globe is dominated by dogs, it is also worth knowing that cat ownership in the US increased from 38.9 million in 2012 to 42.7 million in 2019.
Pet Food Manufacturers Association’s data shows that in the UK alone, annual spending on pets exceeded £ 7.5 billion in 2020 and there are more than 34 million British pets at present. UK’s biggest pet care chain Pets at Home believes that dog jumpers and hoodies were up by more than 60 per cent year-on-year. In 2022, almost 21 per cent of Dutch households owned pet dogs. Cats were even more popular. That year, out of every four households in the Netherlands, one had a pet cat.
The attraction towards pets has coincided with the rise of pet influencers on social media especially on Instagram and TikTok. Last year, Tika the Iggy, Instagram’s beloved pet influencer, graced the front row of Christian Siriano’s show alongside Drew Barrymore. Additionally, Boobie Billie, an adorable Italian greyhound/Chihuahua mix, ventured into the fashion realm with her brand ‘Boobie World’.
The affinity of celebrities towards pets has also contributed to the surging popularity of pet apparel. This growing trend has given rise to international events dedicated to pet clothing, with PittiPets being a noteworthy event that spotlights around 15 brands revolutionising the world of pet clothing, accessories and pet care products.
Increasing disposable income is also a reason that pet lovers spend more on pet clothing as they seek to provide their pets with the best quality and latest fashion trends. Extreme weather conditions have also led to an increased demand for protective clothing for pets.
Not to forget the advocacy by NGOs for street dogs which is instrumental in promoting pet parenting. Initiatives like ‘Collect A Animal’ subscription box, celebration of important days like International Dog Day, Cat Day, World Animal Day are fuelling the development of a strong pet culture.
Evolving market
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In India also, pet parents are moving beyond basic care of pets. Having pets and spending on them is becoming a culture as there are now pet-friendly cafés in metro cities. There are GPS fitness trackers for pets, special photography for pets as they are becoming perfect travel companions. Cities like Bengaluru, Ooty, Munnar have ‘pawcations’ for holidaying with pets, where pet lovers can stay comfortably with their pets. Special trainers are there who are adeptly skilled at becoming perfect pet parents.
All this is motivating the international brands to focus in India. Kanine, a leading global premium platform for pets, has launched its international fashion and accessories line in India, bringing over 2500 unique products which are available on Myntra and on its own website. It has exclusive global licenses for renowned international brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and BOSS Dog Accessories and global distribution for Ralph Lauren pets and others.
Shilpa Dhingra, Founder and Creative Director, Kanine Pets World India says that in India, pet clothing is evolving very fast and the demand for good quality branded products is promising. India has a pet population of around 32 million and it is steadily expanding at an annual rate of 11 per cent.
Looking at the massive market opportunities, Kanine Pets World India will also launch exclusive brand stores and experience centres in the country by next year. Currently, its website has traffic from top cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Pune and Siliguri.
Adesh Oswal, Founder of Pet Snugs – a B2B2C pet lifestyle brand from Ludhiana ¬– said, “Indian market for pet clothing is at a major growing stage. Firstly the demand was for winterwear which later on expanded to summerwear, festivewear, raincoats and bandanas as well.”
Pet Sungs’ products are available in approximately 120 retail outlets across India and have a presence in 15 online marketplaces.
Why not exporting much?
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Indian brands that are redefining how you pamper your pooch
Emerging brands are taking lead to grab this evolving market and their major thrust is on product development.
Indian designers Shivan & Narresh teamed up with Heads Up For Tails for a premium petwear line. Shachi Mehta, a former Bollywood stylist, has also started Petriot, offering a fashionable wardrobe for pets.
And it seems natural also as there is a large range of products available for them including jumpers, coats, overalls, sweaters, T-shirts, shirts, bomber jackets, sweatshirts, hoodies (reversible), rainwear, bow ties, frocks, bandanas and tuxedos besides products like waterproof and windproof dog jackets, lofty insulated dog coats and soft, cosy fleece dog sweaters. Globally, shirts and tops were the dominant segment in 2021 with around 37.2 per cent of the pet clothing market.
Apart from regular clothing for pets, India’s emerging brands and platforms like thepapawcartel.com offer festive collection in pet apparel. Heads Up for Tails (HUFT) offers matching clothes for holidays and special events like birthdays and weddings. Mutt Of Course claims to introduce the first-ever organic denim collection for dogs in India. All this is the need of the hour as pet parents want to pamper their pets with fun products that give a personalised feel and also unique prints that their pets can flaunt.
“As this segment is evolving, consumer expectations are also growing, so there is a dire need for new development. Initially, we used to offer a new collection every four months but now every month, we have a new collection,” commented Sakshi Bawa, Founder, Mutt of Course.
That Dog In Tuxedo was the first to introduce an occasionwear concept for pets long back and recently, it also collaborated with Disney, DC and Looney Tunes to bring the first-ever fandom collection, which led to excitement in pet parents to dress up their pooches as their favourite characters/superheroes.
Ankita Saini, the company’s Founder stated, “We plan to diversify our product range and to cater to different pet species. As the customers are getting more conscious of the environment, we are also taking steps to become more eco-friendly by offering more sustainable products.”
Founded by Vikrant Dhir, Noida-based Ruse, that started in 2008, has also recently introduced new products like anti-anxiety earmuffs, which are ergonomically designed ear covers crafted for dogs and cats with sensitive hearing to block out loud noises like crackers and thunder.
“We are looking to grow our product line horizontally as well as vertically. We offer fresh designs for the existing products as well as plan to introduce new products in our community,” Vikrant said.
At the international level as well as in India, major availability of pet clothing can be found in pet shops, websites and social media. Going forward, the thrust will be on departmental stores and fashion retail chains. Out of overall Rs. 8,000 crore business of pet care including pet food, clothing, grooming etc., 65 per cent is into food business which is mostly organised while the rest 35 per cent is a mix of organised and semi-organised.
Emerging brands’ thrust on P
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“With the growth of the market and allied factors like affection towards pets, in coming years, pets shall be allowed in malls and shopping places, so there are enough chances that fashion chain stores will have pet clothing on their shelves. We can hope that stores will be pet-friendly,” said Sakshi Bawa.
Pet clothing brands like Heads Up for Tails (HUFT) is currently having over 70 retail outlets, Zigly has around 20 stores across India. Other leading brands with retail presence include Mutt of Course, Patmypets, A Plus A Pets, That Dog in Tuxedo, Lana Paws and Pet Snugs.
“Around 50 per cent of our Indian customers spend anywhere between Rs. 5000 to Rs. 20,000 on clothing and accessories every month. The statistics increase during the festive season,” said Ankita, whose brand is also focusing on retail export and its target countries are Singapore, the US and Australia.
Pet Snugs commenced its journey in December 2020 and has consistently witnessed sold-out seasons year after year. Its operational quantity increases fourfold annually, indicative of a substantial surge in demand.
“3-4 years ago, the landscape for pet clothing was relatively barren, with only a handful of brands catering to this niche market. However, since then, the industry has undergone a remarkable transformation. Today, we find ourselves amidst a thriving ecosystem with hundreds of new brands emerging every year, catering to a broad spectrum of price ranges. This competitive environment underscores the growing demand and appreciation for pet clothing in the market,” stated Adesh.
Challenges – sizing issues and reluctant manufacturers
Apart from initial hiccups, there are no such major challenges in material sourcing and manufacturing of pet clothing. Most of the brands use 100 per cent cotton as it is more breathable and prevents any sort of irritation or allergic reaction. Being a natural fabric, hemp is also being used. Linen and fine muslin are preferred during summer while manufacturers use silk fabrics for festive collection and woollen fabrics for winterwear.
| More visibility in departmental and fashion stores in future!
With the growth of the market and allied factors like affection towards pets, in coming years, pets shall be allowed in malls and stores which will become pet-friendly. Jio World Drive mall in Mumbai already has Wagtail dedicated to pets. |
Fleece is used for cosy comfort whereas recycled polyester fleece (anti-pilling finish) dries quickly and provides warmth without bulk.
Manufacturers are increasingly prioritising eco-friendly pet clothing designed to shield pets from inclement weather and external elements. When it comes to rainwear, the go-to materials include waterproof options like polyester and 100 per cent nylon. Softshell fabric and elastic scuba material are also favoured by brands. The former is a multi-layered fabric featuring a nylon exterior and a fleece interior, while the latter guarantees a snug fit, exceptional heat retention and resistance to wrinkles for pet apparel.
Being closely associated with the well-known Oswal Group, Pet Snugs has an edge in fabric resources and its sweatshirts are crafted using three-threaded cotton fleece (widely acknowledged as one of the finest fabrics for sweatshirts – a material favoured by major human clothing brands). Similarly, jackets feature TPU Lycra, readily available in India, along with polyfill to give them a distinctive bomber look.
Sizing is a challenge in pet clothing as there is no standard sizing chart for pets and there are a vast number of breeds. Every region of the world has pets varying in size due to geological and biological differences. There are almost 12-14 sizes for pets, while for humans, 4 to 6 sizes are there as
a standard.
MySize Inc., an omnichannel e-commerce platform, has recently announced that its MySizeID apparel sizing solution will soon be available for the pet apparel market to solve the ongoing sizing issues.
With regard to manufacturing, most of the emerging brands have their own manufacturing units or are associated with their partners. After initial challenges, manufacturing is now a smooth process for them.
Vikrant shared his experience, “It took quite some time to streamline the manufacturing process and it has been quite a task. Initially, there was only 1 single style with 2 sizes for dog T-shirts, fast forward, today there are 7 sizes (covering 95 per cent – 97 per cent of the breeds in all their age cycles), with over 20 styles – 4 sizes of cat apparel, with over 10 styles, plus dog and cat accessories like bandanas, bow ties, collars, leashes, earmuffs, rachis and much more. And all this with an offering of over 20K SKUs spread across different print designs.”
Due to the company’s swift turnarounds from concept to production, along with its ability to continuously generate new products and its highly skilled workforce, its products have emerged as top-sellers in online marketplaces. Furthermore, the company is experiencing year-on-year growth ranging from 35 per cent to 40 per cent.
Emerging brands, having their own units, face challenges in sourcing recyclable and technical fabrics especially as their MOQs are lower and fabric suppliers insist on higher lead time. On the manufacturing front, most of the emerging brands were apprehensive in the beginning as apparel manufacturers were not keen to enter into this segment and even didn’t have much idea about this but with regular business, some of them are producing pet clothing regularly.
| Materials can be easily managed
Cotton, fleece, recycled polyester fleece (with anti-pilling finish), waterproof fabrics (polyester, 100 per cent nylon) and Softshell, a multi-layered fabric resembling nylon on the outside and fleece on the inside, are mainly used for pet clothing. Elastic material scuba ensures a good fit of the apparel on the dog’s body and has excellent heat retention and anti-wrinkle properties. Reflective trims ensure visibility in low-light conditions. |
Adesh initially outsourced products as he encountered uncertainty surrounding manufacturers’ willingness to explore a new product category. Given their initial dealings which involved relatively small quantities, convincing manufacturers, typically specialising in humanwear, to invest their time and resources in this novel endeavour proved to be a formidable task. Reaching out to existing pet clothing manufacturers carried the risk of encountering repetitive patterns and designs used by various suppliers.
Later Adesh identified a group of manufacturers who were willing to embark on this journey along with him and as order quantities substantially increased, it became progressively easier to locate high-quality manufacturers. Manufacturers who partnered with Pet Snugs have now become specialists in the realm of pet clothing, managing significant production volumes for the brand.
Competition from China
Like most of the product categories, China is also dominating in pet clothing but Indian companies have the advantage of good quality and customisation that reduce the impact of import from China.
“We find that our products are more suitable and functional for Indian pets due to the size variability and breeds found in our country. We are certain that in the coming years, the practice of importing from China will be replaced by manufacturing in India. As we celebrate different cultures, the same goes with pets as well. We get customisation requests for all sorts of festivals that are celebrated in different communities all around the country. This is not possible when importing from China or any other country,”
said Ankita.
Vikrant shared a similar opinion as he said that he has already seen the Chinese dominance phasing out in a lot of categories. “And I believe it’s the same with our category as well. Consistency is the key. We feel if we continue to evolve, innovate and churn out high-quality premium products consistently while keeping them cost-effective, we will see a preference for Indian products worldwide.”
Indian manufacturers also have the advantage of using cotton primarily as the majority of pet clothing that comes from China, although cost-effective, is made from polyester.
It is worth highlighting here that despite all these factors in favour of India, there are a few companies that are exporting pet clothing on a reasonable scale and they are enjoying good growth also.
We have been into pet clothing export for the last 18 years and are witnessing almost 10 to 15 per cent growth. Our strength is our quality and hand-based thread work which ensure softness and comfort. I believe that the industry is not focusing more in this niche category as there are many initial hiccups. Sizing is one of them as depending on the breed, there are more than 8-10 sizes,” averred Navneet Kumar, Director, Sudesh Art & Crafts, Delhi.
Companies like Noida-based Avanti Overseas, the most respected name in pet toys, don’t have the bandwidth to explore pet clothing. Companies doing well in the domestic market in this category first want to encash upon the Indian market completely rather than putting their efforts into exports.
| International brand in India
Kanine, a leading premium platform for pets, has launched its international fashion and accessories line in India, bringing over 2500 unique products which are available on Myntra and on its own website. Looking at the massive market opportunities, Kanine Pets World India will also launch exclusive brand stores and experience centres in the country by next year. Currently, its website has traffic from top cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Pune and Siliguri. |
However, Ruse has been exporting products to North and South American Countries since 2022 through e-retail and the response has been great. The demographics in those countries are very well-versed in the concept of clothing for pets. The company is set to launch products in the UK and the EU countries soon.
Nimish Dave, Founder, The Idea Smith and Director (Operations), Avanti Overseas, Noida said, “The growth in pet apparel market is going to continue. A time will come when factories will diversify in this category and look away from the traditional clothing business. India can grab a bigger chunk of the market that’s shifting from China.”
