Bathroom Business School
In 2016, Japanese economists put forward the “cat economics theory”: in any industry, as long as the cat is used well, it will certainly be profitable. The trend-setting international luxury goods were the first to see derivative business opportunities beyond regular pet consumption, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and other brands have opened up a professional pet supplies line, the introduction of expensive pet fashion products.
According to the American Pet Products Association, more than 80 million households in the United States have pets. And in the past 30 years, pet ownership has risen from 56% to 68% of all households. And in Russia, more than half of the population owns cats. China is the fastest-growing market for pet consumption. You can see more and more cute pet bloggers appearing on social platforms such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu in recent years through the operation of some pet industry MCN agencies. The pet economy is also driving growth in the segmented pet industry. In recent years, many companies have emerged in China that specialize in producing only bathrooms for pets. And in the recent past, Hansgrohe, Lixil, and Daiwa House Industry Co. have launched bathroom products for pets one after another.
Hansgrohe launched the showerhead for dogs
Recently, the Hansgrohe Innolab department jointly launched 3D printed shower head for dogs with EOS GmbH in Germany, priced at 84 euros (RMB 652). In Europe, 3D printed materials need to be certified for drinking water before they can be used in consumer goods and food applications. By 3D printing products need to be finished by 3D modeling, after laser sintering, or after polishing and dyeing. Due to, no welding, no mold manufacturing, and only separate installation of internal diverter valves, outsourced 3D printed products are more cost-effective.
Complete bathrooms for cats sell for up to 20,000 RMB
Japan’s Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. has released a complete bathroom designed for cats, priced at 363,000 yen (RMB 21,652.95). The set is 98 cm wide x 59 cm deep * 110 cm high. The top half opens into a dedicated bath with a shower, hairdryer, and space for miscellaneous items. Under the cabinet is a cat toilet bowl that automatically disposes of urine.
Lixil introduces a movable cat wall
Lixil, in collaboration with pet insurance company Anicom Insurance Co., Ltd. has launched a cat wall that can be moved by attaching magnets to the wall. This can freely change the layout according to the cat’s personality and growth.