Pet brands often put four-legged friends at the heart of the company, taking into account pets and their owners’ needs. But one company is revolutionizing the industry thanks to its innovative CEO — a ragdoll cat named Fiona.
PawerLab is a unique “animal-run laboratory” that offers premium, eco-friendly grooming, cleaning supplies and toys designed by pets, for pets. The company prides itself on its quality products that have been designed with cats and dogs in mind, from the materials to the color schemes and the product performance.
The company’s unnamed founder wanted to make the company’s website easy and simple to use, “as if a cat or dog is able to browse it.” The monochromatic color scheme is part of its minimalistic brand identity, but also serves a deeper purpose.
“Cats and dogs can only see a limited range of colors, and those they can’t perceive appear as muted grey. That’s why our color scheme prioritizes the colors they see best. We also use yellow in specific spots, like the lid on our ear canal wipes, to catch the human eye and act as a visual reminder or warning not to use the product on other areas,” a spokesperson for the brand said via email.
While most of the website and product designs are black and white, splashes of are dotted around. According to the brand, this pop of color is primarily for human aesthetic purposes and to serve as a reminder or warning of how to use certain products in the correct way. For example, PawerLab’s ear canal wipes feature a bold yellow warning label to specify correct usage.
Lively and engaging animations and cartoon drawings were designed by an in-house artist team and are dotted across the website, offering educational snippets to pet parents.
“Every animation tells the story behind a product, why we made it, the problem it solves, and who it’s for. In an age where AI-generated images are everywhere and speed is prioritized over soul, we insist on hand-drawn visuals. Our in-house artists help us bring real emotion and meaning to our brand, especially since we’re speaking not just to humans, but for the animals themselves,”
“Everything starts with observing pets and their interactions with people. We don’t guess. we identify real needs,” they continued. “For example, since cats groom themselves by licking, we ensure our formulas are food-grade safe. We’re currently developing toys that keep animals engaged over time, based on their natural behavior,”
When designing the products, safety and sustainability is at the top of mind, even if that means the company’s cost is higher.
“Our design language is minimalist and functional. We avoid unnecessary complexity because we’re designing for pets. companions who appreciate simplicity. Materials are chosen for safety and sustainability, even if they cost 20 times more than standard options. For example, we use high-grade French paper, soy ink, and USDA bio-preferred materials for toys to ensure there’s no artificial smell and maximum pet safety,”
While the brand looks ahead to the future, it is beginning to look at how AI can play a role in improving product quality and design. However, a simplistic eco-friendly approach will always be the goal — as seen in the company’s meticulous design.
“Over the next few years, we plan to integrate AI into our products to strengthen the connection between humans and pets,” they said. “Our goal is to reduce communication barriers and improve the daily interactions between them, making life easier, more intuitive, and more joyful for all.”