Handmade, not mass-made: The rise of bespoke dog apparel in Hong Kong

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Welcome back, readers.

This week, we’re taking you inside a city close to this reporter’s heart: Hong Kong. During a too-brief visit, we spoke with local brands, met pet owners and generally ran around admiring cute dogs.

Often seen as a gateway to China, Hong Kong has its own distinct culture that is reflected in its growing preference for bespoke, artisanal petwear over mass-produced items from factories on the mainland.

It’s also an intriguing mini-revival of Hong Kong’s long-defunct textile industry. Interestingly, one local company, Hidden Gems, has a shop in the heart of the old textile district (which this reporter braved a torrential rainstorm to visit).

We hope you enjoy reading this story as much as we enjoyed researching it.

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Tucked behind a café on a quiet street in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district, Hidden Gems is a small pet boutique with a mission: to showcase the city’s local brands.

Here, all the collars leashes, bowties, and accessories have been made by hand in Hong Kong, using local materials as much as possible. Despite Hong Kong’s proximity to massive factories in mainland China, the goods at Hidden Gems are not the ubiquitous cheap, mass-produced gear.

“People are starting to realise that imported doesn’t always mean better,” says Jacklyn, founder of Hidden Gems. “We have incredibly skilled makers right here in Hong Kong. Some just haven’t had the spotlight, until now.”

Jacklyn’s store carries Hong Kong brands like Canophilia, Pawffy and Take a Bow, all of which produce their goods locally, usually to order. As everything is made by hand, these items are often more expensive, and a single order might take weeks.

Pet owners don’t seem to mind.

“People want something special for their pets, not just what’s cheapest,” Jacklyn said, standing against a backdrop of colourful bow ties, leashes and harnesses.

“And when they get to choose colours or have their dog’s name embossed on a leash, it becomes personal and meaningful.”

HONG KONG’S TEXTILES LEGACY

This shift toward slow, artisanal pet fashion may seem niche, but in Hong Kong, it also indicates a quiet reclaiming of the city’s textile roots.

For much of the 20th century, Hong Kong was a textile powerhouse. Back in the 1960s and ’70s, neighbourhoods like Kowloon City were filled with tiny one-person “factories”: tailors and garment makers who stitched clothing by hand or on a single sewing machine.

But as global supply chains shifted to the mainland, much of this industry migrated across the border, leaving Hong Kong’s manufacturing spaces largely dormant.

Today, the city’s artisan pet brands are drawing from this legacy, albeit on a smaller, more creative scale.

LOCAL COMMUNITY

There’s another layer to this story: Hong Kong’s cultural identity. With its own administration, history and cultural distinctiveness from mainland China, Hong Kong has long prided itself on a certain self-sufficiency and can-do spirit, often called the Lion Rock Spirit. These local brands feel like an extension of that.

“I do think it is important to support the local brands and the local artists,” said Jacklyn. “I wanted to support local businesses as Hidden Gems itself started as a small local business that only sold in small markets.”

Meanwhile, Canophilia founders Stephanie Fong and her partner started making dog accessories during the pandemic as a creative outlet and a way to spoil their three (now four!) rescued dachshunds. They had no background in fashion, but they had an idea and a sense of community.

“What began as a fun project to craft something special for our dogs evolved into the brand you see today,” said Stephanie.

“We are now stocked in 10 locations across Hong Kong and have formed active partnerships with several businesses in Taiwan. We are hoping to expand to more Asian locations.”

FUR KIDS

What’s driving demand for bespoke dogwear?

Hong Kong is seeing the same shift towards pet parenthood as in other markets. According to Statista, the number of household pets in Hong Kong grew from 1.14 million in 2018 to 1.19 million in 2023, and is expected to exceed 1.2 million by 2028.

“A lot of people and couples are gravitating towards having pets rather than kids and instead will treat their pets like kids,” said Jacklyn.

“The market sees this and so a lot of pet stores are opening up lately offering higher-end products. People are now willing to spend more on their pets like they would do for kids.”

In Hong Kong, it’s not unusual to hear someone call a beloved dog a “毛孩” (mo haai, or “fur child” in Cantonese). The city has also become more pet-friendly in recent years, with shopping centres, cafés, and even public parks increasingly welcoming dogs.

Still, running a small brand is not without challenges in a city of high commercial rents and entrenched luxury brands. Handmade means small batch, which means long hours for small teams.

“It’s just the two of us running everything,” Stephanie said. “From design and production to shipping and customer service.”

There’s also the question of U.S. tariffs. When asked, most of the brands interviewed emphasised that the majority of their sales were to other Asian markets, and that they didn’t source much from the U.S..

Either way, it would take a lot to deter these local brands. As Canophilia’s Stephanie said: “It’s our passion for dogs and the loving community that keep us motivated, allowing us to overcome these hurdles step by step.”

IN THE NEWS

🇬🇧 Kennelpak goes into administration ● 50-year-old UK dog food brand Kennelpak has gone into administration, making 51 people redundant. The company has sold its Yakers dog chews brand to Assisi Pet Care Limited.

🇬🇧 KatKin appoints new CFO ● Fresh cat food company KatKin has appointed Claire Tanner to chief financial officer. Tanner has previously served as VP of Finance at HelloFresh, and has also held senior roles at Ocado. 

🇨🇳 🇵🇱 China’s WH Group acquires Poland’s Pupil Foods ● China’s WH Group has acquired Poland-based Pupil Foods to strengthen its presence in the European pet food market.

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