kale-specific accessories for dogs
Inspired by the idea to repurpose kale stems, and after engaging in a couple of experiments where I studied the materiality of kale, I designed a conceptual set of accessories for dogs that incorporates reusing kale stems. My desire for each design was to ensure that dogs would be mentally stimulated, have fun, and safely and slowly eat food through the use of the toys, and through the slow-feeding bowl and plate designs. The reasons why I chose to work with kale stems for these projects follow:
Why Kale Stems, and Why Start with Dog Accessories?
Food waste is a $46.7 Billion industry, and it is increasing 5% annually. (Le)
133 billion pounds of food is wasted annually, and the majority of the food waste is attributed to individual households, with 42% of food wasted by restaurants, 16% wasted by grocery stores and 14% wasted by food manufacturers. (Le)
Produce is a significant category of food waste, due to its premature spoiling or cosmetic defects. (Interact)
Kale stems are notorious for being discarded, but there is a lot of potential in repurposing and upcycling this part of the plant.
My project is proposing the repurposing of kale stems for the consumption of our canine friends.
In conducting research for this project, I have learned that dog owners will feed their dogs vegetables, and that kale stems were included in this category.
Instead of throwing away this valuable part of the plant, I have designed a suite of kale-specific accessories for dogs to better integrate the kale stem into the canine’s life.
This set of 4 kale-specific accessories for dogs address the following areas: feeding/nutrition, play/physical activity, and mental stimulation.
I have written up specifications for each of my 4 kale-specific accessories for dogs, in order to realize them as formal products. My accessories can also be adapted for traditional dog food.
