GS PETS Winter 2019

Meet the Maker: Carol & Frank By Sam Ujvary

C&F has expanded its collections to include lovely pieces for our favorite pets — and our favorite pet-lovers.

Carol & Frank

GSP: carol & frank is an extension of C&F Home. Which company came first?

Colleen Hall, director of marketing: Carol & frank is one of the newest brands under C&F Enterprises family of companies. C&F Home today is the brand that people originally knew as C&F Enterprises when it was just one line.

GSP: When was carol & frank founded?

CH: carol & frank launched in January of 2017 as a more trend-driven line, appealing to both our existing customer base and also reaching a second subset of home and gift retailers (and now pet-themed retailers). While still a young brand, carol & frank is part of who C&F Enterprises has always been.

GSP: Tell me about the pet products developed under the brand’s umbrella.

CH: When developing carol & frank, we knew we wanted to build to a full lifestyle brand and wanted to incorporate a philanthropic aspect to the brand as well. We decided to incorporate pets into our photography as a way to add a human, relatable element to our brand. Maybe was our first model and is a rescue dog herself. From there, the concept grew and we decided to partner with our local SPCA, the Peninsula SPCA, and use their adoptable pets as models. Being animal lovers ourselves, we also understood that there was a market for luxury pet goods. We already had the models, so now we just needed product. We didn’t want to be like everyone else and offer standard run-of-the-mill pet products you can find anywhere. We wanted to make ours special. We started with a gift set of pet scarves (bandanas) and four different pet quilts. The pet quilts coordinate with home décor items we have in line, so your pet can be as fashionable, and comfortable, as you are. Our pet quilts are 100 percent cotton and hand- stitched, just like our coordinating products for humans — only the best for our furry friends. The pet scarves are packaged in a reusable pouch, we like to call it a treat pouch, and five new patterns that coordinate with our home décor and bedding product releases will be launched every six months. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of our pet scarves are donated to the Peninsula SPCA.

GSP: What’s next for carol & frank in terms of pet products?

CH: We intend to grow our pet line to include more wearable items for pets — think collar charms and other fun accessories — as well as usable products such as dishes. The goal is to provide items for pets that coordinate back to our home décor and gift products for their humans. Pets are a big part of many people’s lives and we understand that; we live that; we love that. carol & frank allows us to combine our passions for beautiful home décor, fun gifts, animals and giving back to the community in which we work and have grown. We’re excited for where we are heading as a brand and as a company.

Meet other makers in the pet industry:

• carol & frank

• P.L.AY.: Pet Lifestyle And You

• Son of a Sailor

• Harry Barker

Sam Ujvary

Sam is the managing editor of Gift Shop Pets, Museums & More and Party & Halloween Retailer, and is a contributing editor for Gift Shop Magazine. She has a copywriting background and has been in publishing for six years.