mcacc-collars
I make collars, leashes & "adopt me" leash sleeves for homeless dogs. I created this site to share how-to resources for others who may want to do this too. The "value proposition" (making ten for the cost of buying one at retail to donate) can be a compelling reason. The following describes my material costs (mid-2026):
Collars
I make collars in five widths, and two lengths of each width (for more range of fitment. The how-to page for making collars explains how I arrived at those lengths, and has a chart to help visualize their overlaps.).
| Width | Length (in) | Proportion made | Materials cost (usd) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Small (3/8”) | short: | 5-7/8 | – | 9 | 6% | $0.26 |
| long: | 7-5/8 | – | 12-1/4 | 8% | $0.36 | |
| Small (5/8”) | short: | 8-3/4 | – | 13-1/8 | 11% | $0.31 |
| long: | 10-1/8 | – | 15-3/4 | 14% | $0.33 | |
| Medium (3/4”) | short: | 11-1/4 | – | 17-3/8 | 14% | $0.42 |
| long: | 13-1/4 | – | 21-3/8 | 14% | $0.45 | |
| Large (1”) | short: | 14-3/8 | – | 23 | 14% | $0.69 |
| long: | 17 | – | 28 | 14% | $0.74 | |
| X-Large (1-1/2”) | short: | 17-3/8 | – | 27-5/8 | 3% | $1.28 |
| long: | 19-1/4 | – | 31-1/2 | 2% | $1.36 | |
Leashes
I make 5-foot leashes in four widths, in quantities that pair with the above collars.
| Width | Duty | Breaking load (lbs) | Pair with collar | Materials cost (usd) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/8" | Light | 77 | 3/8 | Long | $0.53 |
| Regular | 254 | 5/8 | Short | $0.57 | |
| 5/8" | Regular | 366 | 5/8 | Long | $0.63 |
| 3/4 | Short | ||||
| 3/4" | Regular | 342 | 3/4 | Long | $0.68 |
| 1 | Short | ||||
| 1" | Regular | 276 | 1 | Long | $0.96 |
| Heavy | 434 | 1-1/2 | Short & Long | $1.02 | |
I don't make leashes for 3/8-Short collars.
Leash sleeves
Materials cost $0.78 each. But, $0.31 of that has been locked in at 2023 prices (fabric & silkscreening), enough to last many years. Now, they cost $0.47 each for the remaining materials (batting, interfacing, stabilizer, snaps & packaging at 2026 prices.).
If the above sounds like something you'd like to do, see the detailed how-to resources.