I really wanted a furry travel buddy during my time as a critical care travel nurse. I rescued Murray a few years ago while working in Albuquerque, NM. He was skittish and had no confidence at first, having been severely abused and neglected. I tried everything to boost his confidence, and wearing a bandana seemed to help (his fur was a mess and had to be cut very short). However, the bandanas I found either didn’t fit properly or had prints that were boring or too girly. So, I decided to make them myself.

I taught myself to sew and started making bandanas for him, as well as for my friends and family. I decided to sell the extra bandanas on Etsy and wanted to do some good with this project, so I chose to donate the profits to local shelters and rescues. Before adopting Murray, I was naive about how underfunded and overcrowded most animal shelters are, and I wanted to help out.

I started Mr. M Bandanas in 2022 as a small side hobby with the goal of making fun, well-fitting, boy-friendly dog bandanas and donating the profits to animal shelters. I quickly noticed that cotton bandanas were uncomfortably stiff and hot, and Murray always managed to get them dirty and stained. After some research, I found a significant gap in the market for wearable, practical bandanas. So, I shifted my focus to providing resilient yet soft and machine washable products that can be worn outside without worrying about durability. This led to the creation of our unique and best-selling adventure fabric, transforming my modest side hobby into a growing brand.

I am humbled that so many of you enjoy my handmade bandanas. Having zero business experience, as my entire professional career has been in healthcare, this has been a fun learning experience. I still maintain my full-time job as a registered nurse and work on Mr. M Bandanas when I am not at the hospital.

I am so thankful for the amazing friendships I’ve developed with fellow pet pawrents through MMB, and that we’ve been able to donate to so many rescue organizations. I am SO grateful for your love and support. 

- Abby