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Material Solutions for Pet Products

Explore Teknor Apex material solutions for pet products, including TPEs for dog toys, nylon compounds, polymer colorants and sustainable material options, backed by technical expertise and global support.

Start with the application. Find the material that fits.

Pet products place unique demands on materials — from the bite and tear resistance required in a dog toy to the flexibility, color, processing performance and durability needed across a wide range of product designs.

Teknor Apex works with pet-product brands, designers and processors to understand those requirements first, then identify material solutions that fit the application.

Our capabilities span thermoplastic elastomers, nylon and other engineering thermoplastics, polymer colorants and masterbatches, and a growing portfolio of sustainable material solutions — supported by application development expertise and global manufacturing and technical support. Teknor Apex's broader portfolio and partnership model extend from material selection through commercialization. 

Download the TPE Dog Toy Guide

TPE Solutions for Demanding Pet Products

Designed around the way the product needs to perform

Thermoplastic elastomers can provide combinations of softness, flexibility, toughness, aesthetics and processability for a range of pet-product applications.

Depending on the product, important considerations may include:

  • Puncture and tear resistance
  • Hardness and flexibility
  • Elastic recovery and rebound
  • Grip and tactile feel
  • Density and part design
  • Color and appearance
  • Flow and mold-detail replication
  • Overmolding and adhesion
  • Processing requirements
  • Formulation and regulatory requirements

For dog-toy applications, the Monprene® CP-16500 Series was developed specifically around the performance and aesthetic requirements of chew toys. The portfolio includes clear, translucent and opaque grades, a range of hardnesses, and options designed around differing levels of puncture resistance, tear performance, flow and appearance.

Explore Monprene® TPE Solutions for Consumer Products
Dog Toy made of Thermopastic Elastomer and Vinyl

Bite Resistance Is One Part of the Performance Picture

Tensile data is important, but it does not fully represent the puncture forces a chew toy may experience.

To help compare materials for chew-toy applications, Teknor Apex developed a laboratory Bite Resistance Test based on ASTM F1306. The test measures the force required to penetrate an injection-molded specimen and assigns a puncture rating from 1 to 5, with 5 representing the greatest resistance.

The goal isn't to start with the toughest available grade. It is to understand what durability means for the specific product and evaluate a material against those requirements.

 

Material Quality and Formulation Control Matter, Too

For products designed to spend significant time in a dog's mouth, material formulation and control deserve consideration alongside mechanical performance.

Monprene CP-16500 Series TPEs are formulated using carefully selected, FDA-listed ingredients. The series is not formulated with PVC, BPA, latex, phthalates or metals and is not formulated to contain REACH SVHC or California Proposition 65 listed substances. The materials also meet relevant European food-contact requirements and are suitable for use in pet and children's toys under standards including CPSIA, EN 71 and ASTM F963.

Material selection is one part of responsible product development. The finished product still needs to be evaluated against its design, manufacturing process, intended use and performance requirements.

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Read more about the Monprene® CP-16500 series for dog toys.

More Than TPE: Material Options Across Pet Products

Pet-product portfolios often use multiple polymers and material technologies.

Rather than starting with a particular chemistry, Teknor Apex can help evaluate the performance target, product design, manufacturing process and commercial requirements first.

Nylon & Engineering Thermoplastics

For rigid and durable applications, Teknor Apex offers a broad engineering thermoplastics portfolio that includes PA 6, PA 66, specialty polyamides and other engineered materials.

The right material depends on the application.

Questions may include:

What does the component need to withstand? How will it be processed? What mechanical properties are required? Are color, additives or other formulation requirements involved?

Teknor Apex can help customers evaluate nylon and other engineering thermoplastics against those requirements rather than starting with a commodity resin specification.

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Engineering Thermoplastic Pellets ETPs black or natural colored pellets from Teknor Apex

Polymer Colorants & Masterbatches

Color can be an important part of brand identity, product differentiation and appearance consistency in the pet aisle.

Teknor Apex offers custom and standard color masterbatches as well as additional colorant and additive technologies for a range of polymer systems. 

Our color specialists can work with customers to consider the complete application, including:

  • Base polymer
  • Target color and appearance
  • Processing method
  • Production requirements
  • Functional additive needs where applicable
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Support Where Your Products Are Made

Material selection is only the beginning.

Pet products may be molded internally, through domestic processors, or through contract manufacturers around the world.

For Monprene pet-toy TPEs, Teknor Apex manufactures in ISO 9001-certified facilities in the United States, Singapore and Germany to serve regional markets. The materials are manufactured under the same global quality standards, with strict formulation control and traceability.

  1. 01

    Application review

    We map the part, the environment it lives in and the performance targets it has to hit.

  2. 02

    Material recommendation

    Our team proposes candidate grades, or formulates a custom compound where none fits.

  3. 03

    Data and samples

    You receive property data and material for your own testing, with documentation to match.

  4. 04

    Molding evaluation

    Trials confirm the compound runs on your process and holds dimensions on your tooling.

  5. 05

    Qualification

    The grade is locked in, documented and supported through scale-up into production.

Whether production is local or global, the objective is the same: understand the requirements and help customers evaluate the right material for the application.

Exploring More Sustainable Material Options?

Sustainability isn't a one-material conversation.

Sustainability goals can look very different from one pet product to another.

Depending on the application and the business objective, the conversation may involve recycled content, bio-based or renewable materials, reduced reliance on virgin fossil-based resources, circularity, product design, material efficiency, or end-of-life considerations.

Teknor Apex takes a broader, application-driven approach to sustainable materials, with solutions spanning multiple polymer technologies. Its current Sustainable Solutions portfolio includes sustainable TPE, engineering thermoplastic and vinyl technologies and approaches ranging from recycled content to bio-based alternatives.

We work with customers to understand the sustainability objective alongside performance and manufacturing requirements, then explore which material pathways make sense for the application.

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Ready for a Product Recommendation or Sample Request?

Tell us about your application.

Whether you're developing a new pet product, evaluating an existing material, looking for an alternate source, or exploring a new material technology, our team can help identify an appropriate next step.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Materials for Pet Products

Material selection should begin with the requirements of the specific toy. Depending on the application, important properties may include puncture and tear resistance, hardness, flexibility, rebound, density, grip, appearance, flow and processing behavior. Product geometry, molding process, manufacturing location and finished-product testing should also be considered before choosing a grade.

Teknor Apex offers the Monprene CP-16500 Series, a family of thermoplastic elastomers developed specifically for dog-toy applications. The portfolio includes grades with different hardnesses, puncture and tear characteristics, flow properties, opacity and gloss levels so materials can be evaluated against the requirements of the individual product.

Teknor Apex developed a laboratory Bite Resistance Test based on ASTM F1306. The test measures the force required to penetrate an injection-molded specimen and assigns a puncture rating from 1 to 5. It provides an additional way to compare candidate materials for applications where biting and puncture are important.

Published typical-property data for the current Monprene CP-16500 Series includes grades from approximately 24 to 63 Shore A, providing options for applications requiring different combinations of softness, flexibility and toughness.

TPE may be an alternative to thermoset rubber in some applications. TPEs provide rubber-like flexibility while being processed as thermoplastics, but the appropriate material depends on the specific performance, processing, product-design and commercial requirements.

A material should be evaluated in the intended application rather than assuming a direct one-for-one conversion.

Because TPE is thermoplastic, clean manufacturing scrap may be recoverable and reprocessable where the material condition, process and finished-product requirements allow it.

End-of-life pet-product recycling is more complex and may depend on product construction, material combinations, contamination, collection and sorting, and the performance requirements of the next application.

Teknor Apex offers a broad portfolio of polyamide compounds, including PA 6, PA 66 and specialty polyamide technologies. (Teknor Apex Nylons)

The appropriate nylon depends on the application's mechanical, processing, environmental and other performance requirements. Teknor Apex can work with customers to determine which material options are appropriate to evaluate.

Yes. Teknor Apex offers polymer colorants and masterbatch technologies, including custom and standard color solutions. (Teknor Apex)

Color development should consider the base polymer, processing method, desired appearance and production requirements, along with any functional additive needs.

Teknor Apex offers sustainable material technologies across multiple polymer families, with solutions that include recycled, bio-based and renewable content, among other approaches. Its Sustainable Solutions portfolio includes TPEs, engineering thermoplastics and other polymer technologies. (Teknor Apex)

The appropriate pathway depends on the application, performance requirements, manufacturing process and sustainability objective. Teknor Apex can help customers evaluate those requirements before selecting a material solution.

Yes. Teknor Apex has a global manufacturing and technical-support footprint. Monprene pet-toy TPEs are manufactured in ISO 9001-certified facilities in the United States, Singapore and Germany to serve regional markets.

Product availability, supply route and technical support should be confirmed for the specific grade and manufacturing location.

A useful starting point includes the:

  • Product or application
  • Current or target material
  • Hardness, where relevant
  • Important performance requirements
  • Molding or processing method
  • Manufacturing location
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Estimated annual volume
  • Reason a new or alternate material is being considered

With that information, Teknor Apex can help identify appropriate material technologies and candidate grades to evaluate.

Yes. Tell Teknor Apex about the application and its requirements. A technical or commercial representative can help identify an appropriate candidate material before providing a sample for evaluation.

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Get the safety information you need easily. All our products have Safety Data Sheets (SDS) available. Simply fill out our quick form to request an SDS for any product.

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