UKFT member Suzy’s is a pet accessory brand, which was founded in Belgium by the current co-founder Sascha Dobbelaere’s grandparents.

It is now run by husband and wife duo Kate and Sascha in the UK, offering handcrafted designer dog carriers, collars, blankets, beds and more. Everything is made here in the UK using mainly British fabrics.

Kate and Sascha also run a private label side to the business called Barky Manufacturing, offering third party manufacturing from their studio in Halifax.

Sascha says: “In 1954, my grandparents, Adriaan van der Linde and Marie-Rose Cordenier, started a small pet accessory shop called Het Suzenhof. The shop was nestled in Knokke-Heist, a little coastal town in Belgium. It was a time and place where you knew all of your neighbours, and little shops like theirs were a staple of social existence.

“Started more out of necessity in the years following the war than out of dreams of creating something big, it was a humble beginning. But my grandparents’ dedication to quality and service always kept their doors open.

“In the 1979, their daughter Suzy van der Linde and her husband Sylvere Dobbelaere took over the business, changing the name to Suzy’s to appeal to a wider audience. They immediately got to work making custom pet bows in a small workshop, and didn’t stop there.

“They spent the next several years expanding their product line, scaling up production, and turning Suzy’s into a global brand, producing over 200,000 baskets, cushions, and carriers per year. Since my parents took over, every product with a Suzy’s label has been designed and made by us, with fabrics from trusted sources in locations like Sweden and France.

“Most recently, the business has passed to me, Sascha Dobbelaere. Together with my wife Kate, we reallocated my parents’ workshop from Knokke Heist to Halifax, in the UK in December 2020.

“Here we are going to continue the legacy of care and attention to detail that my family has always put into making Suzy’s products special. We want to ensure that Suzy’s continues to offer a combination of timeless and fashion-forward designs while expanding our line to make quality pet products available to everyone.

“We know your pet is your furry little family member, and they deserve the best. Since Suzy’s began, our top priority has been creating products that are comfortable and functional for the animal you love.

“So take a look at our products. We have cushions, baskets, carriers and coats to spoil your pet. They come in a variety of designs, and best of all, they change every season for more chances to find something you can’t live without.”

Visit the Suzy’s website

Suzy’s is a UKFT member. Interested in UKFT membership? Find out more here.