Upcycled By CBP

Give your favourite piece of clothing a second life as a one-of-a-kind dog accessory. At Clothes By Portia, we believe upcycling is a great way to help save the planet. Send us your item — a beloved shirt, jacket, or fabric — and we'll transform it into a bandana, hoodie, sailor bow, t-shirt, or dress for your pup, handmade here in New Zealand. Each upcycled piece is completely unique, with zero waste in mind. Email woof@clothesbyportia.co.nz to get started.

Lottie's story: how a kids' rash vest gave her the sun protection she needed

Lottie is a dachshund with alopecia, which meant her bare skin was constantly exposed to the sun — to the point where being outside for any length of time simply wasn't an option for her.

The original kids rash vest before it was redesigned

Her owner came to us looking for something soft enough not to irritate her skin or the little prickles of regrowing hair, but protective enough to actually make a difference. We landed on an unexpected source: a children's rash vest, redesigned and resized to fit Lottie properly.

Lottie's redesigned dachshund-sized rash vest

The lycra fabric turned out to be exactly right — gentle on sensitive skin, breathable, and comfortable for all-day wear. It worked so well that we've now made Lottie eight of them.

Lottie wearing her rash vest outside in the sun

"The rash vest has changed Lottie's life, works so well. Can't believe the difference — she spends so much more time outside and now lays out sunbathing!!! So grateful, thank you."

This is exactly what our Upcycled range is about — giving everyday materials a second life as something that genuinely improves a dog's day-to-day. If your dog has a specific need like Lottie's, get in touch and we'll see what we can create.