Our Story: Purposeful Design for Pets & Planet
More Than Just Pet Furniture: Crafting with Passion & Purpose in Spain
Welcome to AnimalDeLux, born from a love for animals, a passion for design, and a deep commitment to a more sustainable world. Founded in the Valencian countryside near Denia, Spain, by Álvaro Merle, we create unique, stylish sanctuaries for your beloved pets. We believe that the spaces we make for our companions should be beautiful, functional, and kind to our planet.
The Spark: From Economics to Eco-Creation
Álvaro’s journey wasn’t typical. Originally an economist, his path led him towards creative expression, specializing in product design and geometric structures (like his innovative Domos at tudomo.es). Combined with hands-on experience volunteering with feline rescue organizations – gaining sensitivity to their needs for comfort and security – and a desire to live more sustainably using local resources, the idea for AnimalDeLux took shape: merging artistic design with green entrepreneurship.
Our Mission: Giving Spanish Sea Plastic a Stylish Second Life
We saw the challenge of plastic pollution impacting Spain’s beautiful coastlines not just as a problem, but as an opportunity. Why let valuable material go to waste when it could be transformed? This question sparked our Eco Collection.
We are committed to sourcing recycled plastic waste recovered from Spanish marine environments. This isn’t just any recycled material; it carries a story of recovery and hope. Through careful processing, we turn this potential pollutant into a durable, waterproof, easy-to-clean, and visually unique composite. The colourful speckles in each piece are a beautiful reminder of its recycled origins – no two pieces are exactly alike!
Choosing an item from our Eco Collection means you’re not only getting a stunning, long-lasting piece for your pet but also directly contributing to cleaner seas and supporting a circular economy.
The Craft: Balancing Innovation & Tradition
AnimalDeLux offers two distinct but complementary lines:
- The Eco Collection: Features our innovative use of rescued sea plastic in modern designs like the Tipi Eco. Working with this material involves research, experimentation, and often intense manual effort in our home-based workshop to achieve the perfect balance of form and function.
- The Wooden Collection: Celebrates the timeless beauty and warmth of natural materials. Pieces like the geometric ‘Minou’ house or our minimalist Plywood Teepees are handcrafted from quality wood/plywood, showcasing meticulous Spanish craftsmanship.
As Álvaro says, "It may seem simple when you look at it, but each piece is the result of immense effort and dedication, requiring extensive testing and adjustments to transform concepts into reality.” Whether using recycled plastic or wood, every design prioritizes your pet's comfort and safety, informed by real-world experience with animal needs.
Our Commitment & Challenges
Being a small, independent green entrepreneur in rural Spain comes with challenges – sourcing truly sustainable materials at a small scale (like packaging!), competing with mass production, and educating customers on the true value and effort behind eco-conscious, handcrafted goods. “It’s complicated to explain… that our prices reflect the added value,” Álvaro notes. “Raising awareness… is essential.” Despite these hurdles, our commitment remains unwavering: to create high-quality, meaningful products that respect our environment, utilize local resources where possible, and bring joy to pets and their owners.
Looking Ahead: The Vision
AnimalDeLux is constantly exploring and innovating. Álvaro dreams of expanding the range of sustainable products, potentially integrating new technologies for greater personalization, and connecting with like-minded communities, such as Web3/NFTs if desired, or keep it focused on product innovation like transportable domes. Our core vision remains: to be driven by passion, rooted in sustainability, and fuelled by a love for creating functional art for conscious consumers and their cherished pets.
