Shanghai Petjoy Fashion Week

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🇹🇭 Shoutout to Thailand’s K9 USAR Following the devastation of the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand last week, K9 USAR Thailand’s search and rescue dogs have been vital in helping to recover survivors.

🇬🇧 Pets at Home issues profit warning for 2026 The UK-based company said it expects its fiscal 2026 underlying pretax profit to fall due to rising costs and lower demand for pet accessories. 

🇺🇸 Chewy’s positive earnings Chewy posted a 14.9% rise year-on-year in Q4 net sales to US$3.25 billion, thanks to strong subscription services, increased market share and a growing customer base. 

🇺🇸 U.S. pet spending reached reached US$152 billion in 2024, according to American Pet Products Association’s 2025 State of the Industry Report. U.S. pet ownership has regained momentum, with 94 million households having at least one pet.

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TOP STORY

Shanghai Petjoy Fashion Week turns heads

A fine-boned whippet in a blue tutu struts down the runway. Moments later, a pair of poodles trot down the catwalk (dogwalk?) in Reebok athletic wear. Later, a robot dog stalks the stage.

Welcome to Shanghai Petjoy Fashion Week. For the fourth year running, the event has attracted a massive crowd of fashion-forward humans and companion animals.

From March 28-30, Shanghai’s International Fashion Center drew over 100 brands from 18 countries and thousands of people.

Pet spending defies luxury industry slump

China is seeing a slowdown in luxury spending, with major brands like Gucci and Prada closing stores due to falling sales. The mainland luxury market is expected to remain flat in 2025 before gradually recovering, according to Bain & Company.

Despite this, consumers remain keen to splurge on their pets. China’s pet economy hit US$82.99 billion in 2023 and is projected to nearly double to US$161 billion by 2028, according to China-based consultancy iiMedia. 

Why the "fur baby" boom?

Pet spending in China is driven by the country’s shifting demographics. With birth rates declining and single professionals on the rise, more people (particularly Gen Z and retirees) are treating their pets like family.

China’s pet population expected to surpass 70 million by 2030 - nearly double the number of children under four years old. This represents an attractive opportunity for investors and brands to cater to affluent pet owners.

Meanwhile, the pet luxury boom in China has produced a growing number of homegrown pet fashion designers.

Shanghai Petjoy Fashion Week was dominated by China-focused brands such as Zozorika and Gigiwawa. Reebok was one of the few overseas brands present. The focus on luxury pet retail is an evolution from China’s traditional role as back-end manufacturer for overseas brands.

Sustainability vs. fast fashion

Sustainability was an emerging theme at Shanghai Petjoy Fashion Week. Zozorika displayed its eco-friendly collection, ditching fast fashion for USDA-certified mycelium leather and its flagship "Jelly Fish" line - the world’s first carbon-neutral pet clothing.

Given that China is the world’s largest textile consumer, brands like Zozorika offer a much-needed sustainable alternative. China produces about 26 million tons of waste annually, most of which ends up in landfills. Only 12% of textile waste is recycled globally.

“We hope to make sustainable pet lifestyles a new global industry standard in the future,” Zorika told Luxury Pet Care News via messaging app WeChat.

Looking ahead, China’s appetite for pet luxury is expected to remain robust, even as demand for human luxury brands falters. Take note, brands and potential investors: the future of luxury may have four legs and a tail.

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