By Kathy Hosler
June 30, 2017
Pets have long been considered part of the family, but now a lot more than ever, owners are actually treating family pets a lot more like they are people—a trend called ‘humanization’. So it follows that as a lot more and a lot more people are looking to all-natural and organic products for themselves, they want the same for their beloved pets.
There are over 300 million family pets in the United States, and all of them have grooming needs. Whether owners bring their family pets to you to be groomed or they get the products and do the grooming themselves, demand for all–natural products is rising. All–natural shampoos, styling products, treats, nutritional supplements, and foods are flooding the pet care industry. If you are not already carrying and using them, it’s time for you to look into this market.
“Trends are always changing, but natural products are here to stay,” says James Brandly, marketing coordinator of Tropiclean Pet Products. “What started out as a trend swiftly turned into a conventional in the industry.”
Just what does it indicate when a product is labeled all–natural, and what is the difference between all–natural and organic?
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“Generally speaking, all–natural indicates that a product doesn’t consist of synthetic additives of any kind and that all the ingredients are as close as possible to their natural state,” says Larry Cobb, CEO of The company of animals us Division.
“Natural products are typically assumed to consist of minimally processed formulas or ingredients and do not consist of anything artificial,” says Steven Shweky, president and CEO of Fetch for Pets. “In the United States, however, neither the FDA nor the USDA has policies or guidelines for products labeled natural.”
“Organic is the most heavily regulated claim in the USDA and FDA.” Mr. Shweky continues. “Only organic guarantees no toxic synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers are used in production, and no antibiotics or growth hormones are given to animals or plants. organic producers and processors are also subject to rigorous announced —and unannounced—certification inspections by third–party inspectors to make sure that they are producing and processing organic products in a controlled manner.”
As consumers are becoming a lot more educated about the products they use, lots of decide that ‘basic is better’. If they see ingredients such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Hexylene Glycol, Miranol, Panthenol, Cocamidopropyl Betanine, and Methylchloroisothiazolinone on the label, they may turn down it. even if they have no idea what any of these ingredients are or what they do, pet owners are very apprehensive of using products that consist of ingredients they cannot identify on their little babies.
“Pet parents want to be able to pick up a bottle, turn it around and understand every ingredient in that bottle,” says Mr. Brandly. “Simple and common ingredients supply confidence in recognition and communicate a sense of transparency that we’re all trying to find as today’s consumer. They want to know that what they’re using is safe and effective for them and their pets.”
“When they are shopping for all–natural shampoos or conditioners for their pets, owners want products created from ingredients that are as pure, unadulterated, and as ‘close to nature’ as possible,” shares Mr. Cobb. “Many are seeking hypoallergenic products in hopes of solving problems like soothing their pet’s itchy skin. They are very wary of mystery ingredients with chemical names.”
The skin is the largest organ of the body. products that are applied to its surface can be absorbed and can produce positive or negative results. We groomers see family pets with skin worries every day. Whether they suffer from allergies, hot spots, flea bite dermatitis, or any number of skin issues—their owners want your help to resolve these problems. If you think an all–natural product would be best, describe to them how it could benefit their pet. and if that product is a lot more expensive to use because of the high–quality ingredients in it, tell them that too.
The demand for all–natural products is ever growing, but are there any worries about using them?
“One of the drawbacks is that lots of people don’t initially understand how they work,” Mr. Shweky says. “Because natural products don’t consist of the chemicals that are found in a lot of shampoos, consumers don’t realize that things like separation may happen or that the shampoo won’t have a lot of suds when you use it.”
Some pet care professionals are hesitant to try all–natural grooming products because they worry that they won’t do as well as the products they are using now.
“I’d contend that if all–natural shampoos and conditioners are appropriately formulated, they work better than their conventional counterparts,” Mr. Cobb says. “Many grooming products are loaded with chemical surfactants and detergents tnull