Maker Crush - Gianni Cooling
It was the handcrafted leatherwork that first caught my eye. At a glance it's evident Gianni Cooling collars are beautifully-made pieces. I had been eyeing them for awhile, so it was quite a delightful surprise when Gianni reached out to me about stocking her gems in the shop (my answer of course was an enthusiastic yes!). Read on to discover her thoughts on sustainability in the pet industry, being featured in Anthropologie (!), and the one thing she misses most about her native Germany.
Tell us all about Gianni Cooling and why you decided to launch it.
Germany has a long tradition of using natural materials to craft high-quality products, including those for pets. The town I am from is known as the birthplace of the Rottweiler and I grew up in a family that raised dogs. After immigrating to the U.S., I found myself searching everywhere for dog products for my Bernedoodle puppy, Henri, but quickly became frustrated with the lack of quality products on the market, so I decided to create Gianni Cooling. The design of the brand focused on leathercraft that featured chemical-free and sustainable pet products made in the U.S. I had a background in design and leathercraft, so I decided to create my own brand and launch the company :)
What has been your favorite memory since launching your brand?
Being nominated for the German Design Award and being featured by Anthropologie in year 1 of operating my own business is definitely my favorite memory.
What's your most prized piece in your collection?
This question is super hard to answer, but I think my favorite piece in our collection is making the custom designs our customers create with our design tool on our website. I love the different colors and patterns they design from any GC product template - I’m always so impressed with their choices!
You're from Germany originally - what's one thing you miss from home that you can't find in Raleigh?
I really miss southern German traditional food which I can’t find anywhere else but at home in Germany, and I also love the old buildings and architecture. I lived next to an ancient Romans spa, which was so inspiring.
What's your biggest hope for the future of sustainable fashion for pups and beyond?
When it comes to sustainability one thing that is often overlooked in manufacturing and product design is the lifespan of a product. We focus on creating high-quality, long-lasting products that get better with time and are crafted with the health of the dog in mind. Our dogs are so special and unique, like we are as humans, and there is not a one size fits all approach to crafting a product that fits a dog’s individual anatomy. We view sustainability not only through the lens of the product but also how well it fits the dog wearing it. We hope dog owners choose non-toxic, custom and handmade-to-order products, because we believe it’s best for the dog - we will continue doing our best to make this a reality.