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Please provide me with a an analysis of the dog bed market in the US, focusing in the constrction and materials that are used to make dog beds, and the level of comfort/longevity of the materials.
Thank you for your question seeking to prove that most dog beds in the US are made in China, and their materials don't support big dogs. Unfortunately, after a thorough search of various academic databases, news sites, and dog and medical speciality sites, I’ve determined that the information you requested is not publicly available. There are general claims that most dog beds are made in China, but no numerical data to back that up. Chinese dog beds are made from a range of materials, especially cotton and memory foam. Here, I was able to provide some research on the broader medical issues with memory foam- particularly the toxins it contains. I also found one small study that concluded that thicker memory foam is required to support large dogs, and large dogs also need material that is harder to tear apart. Below I go into more detail.
METHODOLOGY
I conducted extensive searches of various academic databases, but only came up with one academic article or study somewhat relevant to your question (on small dog beds), mentioned below. I searched Ingenta, EconPapers, Google Scholar, the Microsoft Academic Literature Database, OATD, SciCurbe, and DeepDyve for dog beds and pet beds as well as dog products. I also did an x-ray search of Pets.webmd,which only turned up results on sleeping with humans (and on dog mounting causes).
Almost all of the existing medical research was about sharing a human bed with a dog. I've excluded some really good studies on bed materials (eg Youtube videos and articles like this by your own company, as I'm sure you're aware of them.
I also searched for news articles on the topic. I looked for expert opinions, but here came up with reviews and commercial content, that you aren't after, as well as more information about dogs sleeping with humans.
There are a few in depth dog bed market studies, that include regional coverage on the US and China, but they are behind a pay wall
Given that dog beds made in China tend to involve memory foam, I did some more research on the potential dangers of this material. I also found key dog bed manufacturers from China and conducted a news search, in case issues with their bedding had been found, but nothing came up.
US DOG BED MARKET: GENERAL
The options for pet beds are expanding. Like many other industries, the dog products market is seeing a trend aimed at millenials and big income earners, that is seeing custom-made dog beds and the creation of up market products (luxury and designer beds, orthopedic beds, nesting beds). There are even dog hammocks (made of hypoallergenic suade on a bamboo frame) Of course, this is aimed at big spenders who are a minority of the customer base, who are after beds that will match their décor. Bedspoke beds for example, include custom upholstery and a range of shapes and sizes such as “mid-century modern sleek”.
As the market for dog beds grows, we're also seeing some human bed manufacturers diversifying into this industry. Tempur-Pedic and Select Comfort Sleep Number now have their own pet beds. as does Sealy and Casper
Part of this expanding-bed-options trend is increased “pet humanization” -something millennials are embracing, and their spending is high, despite a limited income. This trend is driving up value sales and average unit prices in pet products.
Finally, an increasing number of dogs are now sleeping with their owners 42% in the Usin 2007, up from 34% in 1998. This is part of the aforementioned humanization trend, and the idea of people as “pet parents”.
WHERE DOG BEDS ARE MADE
Unfortunately, there is no information breaking down where most dog beds in the US are manufactured. After a thorough search, I was only able to find farely general comments that “many” beds are made in China, as well as a list of some key companies.
One buyer for example, said that a related product, dog bowls, are almost all made in China “it's very difficult to find non-China feeders” and customers are increasingly requesting products not made in China. Customers seek style, quality, and safety.
There are a range of companies who claim their dog beds are made in the US. This includes BuddyRest, your company - Barker, Snugatti, American Made Dorm,, Bessie + Barnie, and Dog Bed King. This list comes from USA Love List, which is sponsored, and not definitive. West Paw Design also makes dog beds in the US.
Shanghai Foamemo Furniture is a “leading manufacturer” in China of foam components for bedding, including dog beds.
Hangzhou also claims to be China's biggest pet bed manufacturer. They make beds from soft fleece.
Tianjin Hongxin is a large dog bed manufacturer in China, and their beds are made from cotton.
I found a range of articles about how dog beds from China often use cheap memory foam, but this is information your company already has (as communicated in one of the articles I came across).
DOG BED MATERIALS SUPPORTING LARGE DOGS
The Whole Dog Journal conducted tests on 9 orthopedic dog beds, and found that for foam-fill dog beds, large dogs need a heavier mattress. They point out that memory foam can get too warm, because of the lack of air flow, but this can be circumvented by placing a thicker cover on the mattress. They also point out that large dogs may be more likely to destroy bedding, and recycled polyester fiberfill withstood one of their tests by a very large, destructive Goldendoodle.
Studies have been clear that the best bed materials will depend on the dog, its breed, age, and other needs. However, generally speaking beds should be made from materials that are easily cleaned and sanitized. This study, focused on smaller and old dogs, found that synthetic fleece is good for warmth, comfort, and is easy to clean or replace and that high-density polyethyene is good for a base due to its durability, being water-proof and easily sanitized, being warmer and more comfortable for dogs.
Part of the luxury dog bed trend, mentioned above, involves “high-tech fabrics” that keep dogs warm or cool, depending on the season.
PROBLEMS WITH MEMORY FOAM, ESPECIALLY FROM CHINA
WebMD points out that memory foam is relatively new, so it hasn't been well studied. Also, conducting such studies- on humans or dogs- is difficult, as determining sleep quality can be subjective. Nevertheless, WebMD didn't have many criticisms of the product, arguing that the main risks are SIDS because soft bedding traps carbon dioxide, and off gassing- an “odd chemical smell” which can be offset with airing.
A 2002 Norwegian study found that foam mattresses were 4 to 8 times more likely to host dust mite feces than spring mattresses.
Memory foam, or visco-elastic polyurethan contains the following toxins, according to Softpedia, TDI (Toluene Di-Isocyanate), Polyol (Poly Ether Gycol), Silicone Surfactant, Tertiary Amine, Stannous Octoate, Flame Retardant, Pigments/Dyes. TDI is an smelly hydrocarbon that may cause asthma. Tertiary amines have strong odors and are allergenic.
Mother Jones has also covered the smell and asthma-causing properties of memory foam. They city a study conducted in 2005 on human beds, by Walter Bader, author of the book Toxic Bedrooms. He sent several mattresses to an Atlanta-based lab, and a memory-foam model was found to emit 61 chemicals, including the carcinogens benzene and naphthalene. Human bed consumers are more and more seeking out beds that are made from natural products, and we could see that trend transferred to the beds they buy for their dogs as well.
And according to Cancer Defeated, memory foam is the worst offender for containing toxins.
Chinese memory foam also has clay fillers added, causing it to break down quicker and depressions to form – according to Rocky Mountain Mattress, which of course has an interest in making such a claim and doesn't 'explain where they got the information from. Mattress-inquirer also points out that China has less environmental regulations, meaning their memory foam is held to a different standard than the memory foam produced in the US.
However, of course not all dog beds from China are made from Memory-foam. Made-in-China.com lists a number of beds and their materials, and these include cotton, canvas fabric, denim, nylon, corduroy, steam velour, plush, suede, leather, polyester, and mesh fabric. The most common material here is cotton. However these materials most likely refer to the covering, rather than the stuffing.
CONCLUSION
To wrap it up, after searching extensively through a range of academic databases, news searchers, and even Chinese company websites, a direct answer to your question is not publicly available. However I learned that many Chinese manufactured dog beds contain memory foam, which has been found to cause asthma, to have a bad smell, and to contain toxins. Thicker memory foam is required to support the weight of a large dog. Thanks for using Wonder! Let us know if we can help with anything else.