Barbie Cassidy with one of the small, wool-knop filled pillows she makes, which are decorative and multi-use .
Barbie Cassidy with one of the small, wool-knop filled pillows she makes, which are decorative and multi-use .
The day CHB’s Barbie Cassidy read of a university student kicked off a Wellington bus because of her guide dog, she was incensed.
“I was going to Wellington, and I was determined I would gift her a VIP Dog Bed, for her guide dog,” says Barbie, who has been making the VIP beds for 33 years.
“I was driving past the university and I saw a young dark-haired woman wearing a dark coat swooping down Kelburn Parade.
“I double-parked my car and took off after her, shouting ‘Kate, Kate! But I couldn’t catch her up. I went past a group of teenage boys and they said ‘We’ll get her for you’ and they did.
“The young woman said ‘Are you talking to me?’ and I explained myself. She said ‘I’m not Kate, but I am her best friend and we’ve both wanted one of your dog beds for ages’.”
“I heard about the knopped wool made by Stewart Tucker of Clive Wool Scour. Phil Collins was using it as home insulation. Being a ‘wool nut’ I got in touch with them to express my delight.
“Phil promptly gifted me two bags of wool knops. Very nice, but I had no idea what to do with them.”
Not long afterwards, visiting a friend, Barbie was shown their terrier’s new, round, high-sided dog bed. A great concept, Barbie thought, “but made of synthetic crap”.
She had found a use for her two bags of wool knops.
The original beds were produced with a New Zealand wool carpet base and heavy foam walls, creating an oval “nest” for a mattress filled with second-shear strong wool that has been run through a centrifugal force to form little balls - knops.
The wool knops hold in warmth, are waterproof, breathable, don’t pack down and are beneficial for the dogs’ joints, helping to prevent arthritis. The wool mattress doesn’t need washing, being freshened up with just some time in the fresh air and sunshine.
The original beds were soon joined by a flatter “mutt mattress’ without the foam sides and then, when Barbie’s own labrador pointed out his preference, “tough stuff” working dog beds made from sacks filled with long fleece, scoured and fluffed.
The sacking beds have been sold in their hundreds for working dogs and for garage and verandah dog beds.
Every bale is sorted by hand to remove dust or foreign material - which takes Barbie an hour per kilo.
Before long, the humans in the family added their voice to that of Barbie’s labrador, when husband Garth suggested she make a knop-filled pillow.
“I made two, and we both slept through the night for the first time since we were married. The little pillows came next - covered in craft fabrics and perfect for car trips, children’s car seats, between the knees for after hip replacements...then I was asked to make smaller ones as elbow rests.
“There’s no end to what wool will do. It’s amazing.”
But a couple of accidents, two titanium knees and some nerve damage mean Barbie is under pressure to slow down and look after herself.
“I have promised my family I will sell the business within two years...but I will keep making the pillows to get out of doing the housework.
“I have always had a great team of helpers, but sorting the wool takes me an hour per kilo...sitting like Rumplestiltskin, sorting all the knops over a white tray to take out any dust or imperfections.
“I am so proud of every dog bed. I have never sent one out that wasn’t perfect.”
Barbie will be holding an open day at her showroom and workshop at 248 Pōrangahau Road Waipukurau, on Friday May 24 from 10am-4pm for anyone who would like to find out more or to treat their VIP pet to a VIP Dog Bed.
