Some people may be thinking of a gift for someone who has lost a pet.
We knit these unique gifts using memorable photos, rather than printing them.
In today’s blog, we will introduce some examples (customer testimonials) of people who received this memorial knit as a gift and were cheered up.
A customer’s creations: Memorial items purchased as gifts
We introduce a customer who gave a memorial item to a family member for a deceased pet. (From a review)
A gift for a family member’s birthday
This was ordered by an older sister as a birthday gift for her younger sister, who had been crying every day since losing her beloved dog.
Example of use at a wedding reception
Ordered for my daughter’s birthday.
Memorial goods used for personal use
This is Sora the Corgi.
Ran the Shih Tzu
This is the case of Ran, a Shih Tzu. Ran has requested that her photograph not be published, so we don’t have any photos, but she agreed to share her story.
After her pet cat passed away, Mr. A spent every day looking at and petting the photos.
She felt that photos alone did not convey the texture or warmth of the product, and that it was not enough. She was looking for something warm and three-dimensional, something that she could hug, and then she happened to come across KNIT My PET and ordered a cushion. Our products are made from knitted fabrics, so when you touch them you can feel the soft texture of the knit. She wanted to hug it, but it was too precious to have it, so she just displayed it.
They are brothers, so I would like to display them with the same products.
This is the story of Mr. B, for whom we created an original board as a memorial portrait a year ago.
A year after the original order, I received an order for a knitted portrait of the same breed. I immediately knew it was for a different dog.
The customer explained the situation, saying that it was a sibling to their beloved dog who passed away last year, and that they wanted to make a portrait of the same size and place them side by side. They spoke cheerfully on the phone, but their voice occasionally choked up, and it seemed they couldn’t hide their grief. I had made a lap blanket for their dog’s birthday, but since his death, they have been using the board as a memorial portrait.
Customer who want to create a room full of memories
Some customers have even turned an entire room into a memorable space, stocking everything from pet leashes and clothes to new, custom-made memorial items.
Whenever they find a new original product that catches their eye, they order it, and the room is filled with custom-made items.
Such customers purchase several of our products. They make cushions, lap blankets, and tapestries, and even cushions using other photos to give to family members. Some customers have made more than 10 items, including additional orders after delivery.
After delivery, we received a thoughtful thank-you letter filled with words of fond memories.
The photo they gave us was lined with various other custom-made items, creating a very bright and cheerful room that gave the impression of being in heaven.
Memories of beloved dog
I received a call from a customer who previously placed an order with us. The lap blanket we made was well received, and they always used it to drape over their beloved dog. They were in tears on the phone, and we wondered what was wrong, only to learn that their dog had passed away.
The dog had been in the hospital, and the doctor had told them they would be fine that night, so they received the call on their way home, when their condition suddenly worsened and they passed away.
We heard the story of their beloved dog, who had left behind many memories and belongings, and later received a thank-you email. The lap blanket we made was originally for their dog’s birthday, but it has become a memorial item and is still treasured by the customer.
Customer reviews
The product just arrived★
First of all, I was impressed by the cute wrapping from the moment I opened it!
The cushion is so soft and feels amazing~
The embroidery is carefully done and the colors are to my liking♪
It also fits perfectly into the atmosphere of my home!
And best of all, I can’t get enough of my beloved dog’s adorable face!!
My beloved dog passed away last year, so it feels like he’s right there with me and I just want to hug him tightly.
Even though it’s just a cushion, I can’t help but want to pet it…lol
I’m so glad I ordered★I’d definitely order again if I have the opportunity. Thank you.
Memorial goods that will last for years
This happened shortly after KNIT My PET first launched. A customer found our store while looking for original pet goods to give as a gift. She had just lost her beloved dog, and ordered many items to display on her altar. Including gifts for her family, she purchased a total of 11 items over several days. It’s no wonder she was such an important member of her family. Even now, more than 10 years later, I still have the opportunity to see photos of the altar on social media, and seeing the products we created back then and other original goods lined up, it’s clear to see that she continues to cherish her beloved dog as a member of the family. At first, it was just our products, but it’s been wonderful to see the number of items growing every year.
I realized that customers want someone to listen to how they feel.
After delivering, I receive thank-you emails and phone calls from customers, and there’s one thing they all have in common. Even customers who were in tears when they placed their order are much more energetic by the time they receive their delivery.
When placing an order, I sometimes consult with customers about the design and photo selection. Every time I hear stories of their memories with their beloved dog or cat, or hear about their favorite photos, they seem to feel a little better. I feel like they were able to let out some of the loneliness they had been harboring. Also, making cushions and lap blankets may have helped them be a little more honest, and allowed them to accept their own feelings of loneliness. When you’re lonely, say you’re lonely. It may take longer to recover if you keep it all inside.
Customer status
Many customers are in tears immediately after a pet’s death, crying so much that it’s sometimes difficult to hear what they’re saying when we answer the phone, but by the time we deliver their products, they’ve perked up and send us thank-you emails and photos after the delivery.
We sometimes worry about whether they will be happy with the products or whether they will become even more depressed and depressed, but seeing them cheer up and even use smiling emojis in their thank-you emails makes us feel glad to be in this job.
When creating a product, we consult with the customer and design it together.
Many people also talk to us about their deceased pet.
I’ve come to think that by talking about their lost pet and creating something together in this way, their sadness may gradually subside.
Some customers put away their altar after 49 days, while others keep it up even after that. It seems that the majority of our customers leave it up.
She also has a room in her house dedicated to memories, and when she feels like crying, she goes there to look at photos from an album or refold her dog’s leash or clothes.
I think it’s a wonderful thing to have a space that is cherished by you.
It’s been almost seven years since we lost our beloved dog.
I still go to the grave (joint memorial) from time to time and pray.
When I close my eyes, Mukku’s big face appears before my eyes, floating before my eyes as if ready to pounce on me.
Once you start talking about pets, you can’t stop.
I hope you all get better soon.
Getting better and overcoming your grief does not mean forgetting your pets.
Your pets are probably waiting for the day when you can smile again, as soon as possible.
After you’ve cried your fill, smile again.
Memories of our pets
After delivering, many people send us thank-you emails.
Sometimes we even shed tears when we receive these emails…
It always reminds me of my beloved dog Mukku, who has gone to heaven.
And then there’s the two cats we currently have at home.
One day, these cats will also be separated from me.
On days when they seem more clingy than usual, I worry that they might not be feeling well or that they’re in pain.
I worry the same way on days when they’re quieter and more immobile than usual.
They’re cats, but they act clingy like dogs and follow me around the house.
One day, these cats will also be gone…
Sometimes customers write emails that I can relate to.
For example,
– He never got attached to any of the other family members, but he was very attached to my father and would always sit on his lap.
– My mother loved him the most, so after he passed away, she became depressed.
And so on.
Hearing (reading) those words makes me worry about whether I would be able to endure the loneliness and sadness if I were to find myself in that situation someday.
But similarly, I also receive emails from customers with heartwarming thank you notes that bring tears to my eyes.
– When I gave it to a family member as a gift, they cried with joy.
– I was so happy to receive such a wonderful gift, and it made me so happy to have given it to them.
– I am so grateful to have come across this piece.
When I hear such things, I feel motivated to continue working hard at this job.
If even one person is happy, there are surely others who feel the same way.
I will continue to work hard to bring wonderful creations to those people.
When a cat passes away, I sometimes wonder if I will make a keepsake.
I didn’t make anything for my beloved dog Mukku.
I kept only photographs and got rid of everything else.
Collar, bandana, brush, bowl, cage, etc. Nothing remains.
However, I still have scars from Mukku at home, and there are lots of samples made using Mukku’s photos at the Van der Wann factory.
So, while I don’t feel like I should have kept anything, I somehow feel like I want to keep something of the cat.
There is a charm with Mukku’s name on its collar, so I might turn that into a key chain…
I will continue to do my best
I would like to continue working hard at this job.
I’m sure my beloved dog Mukku is cheering me on in heaven.
I’ll be enshrined above him (lol). I’m sure this long-haired black cat is also watching our success with his own eyes.
I hope that as many people as possible will be pleased with this.