Non-stop dogwear: the harness sewn for a skijoring dog that became a brand

A harness sewn by hand for a skijoring dog that struggled to breathe in shop-bought ones: that is how the story of Non-stop dogwear begins. Twenty years later, this small company based in a barn in the Norwegian countryside sells harnesses, leads, collars and jackets for active dogs in shops around the world. Its motto fits in four words, “Release your dog’s potential”, and every piece in the range follows from it.

A story born in Oslo

It all starts in Oslo, in 2006. According to the brand, its dog at the time, Hårek, was one of the most talented in skijoring, a discipline in which the dog pulls a skier. Running free, he moved with ease; in a harness, he showed signs of laboured breathing and his movement seemed restricted. The founders tried several pieces of equipment without finding the one they were looking for, and started sewing. The result is now called the Freemotion harness.

The company was founded in Norway in 2009. Its about page names four founding members: Kristoffer Grøtan Olsen, Tonje Wahl Evensen, Sebastian Plur Nilssen and Fredrik Skjøldt. Tonje Wahl Evensen appears there as chief executive. The head office is in Brøttum, in a building whose timber walls date from 1820, a former barn converted into offices when the team moved in, in spring 2012. The brand now has nearly twenty people in the office, compared with three at the start.

Harnesses, and everything else

Harnesses form the heart of the range, each for a purpose: the Freemotion for pulling sports, the Rush, a more compact version for hiking and canicross, the Line for everyday, the Ramble. Around them, the brand offers leads, collars, belts for running with your dog, jackets and coats, protective boots, bags and clothing for yourself, from beanie to T-shirt.

The brand speaks to a specific audience, those who are on the move with their dog: hiking, running, skiing, cycling, pulling sports. It says so plainly: whether you want to shave seconds off a competition time or walk for days in the mountains, the equipment must serve the activity.

The know-how

According to the brand, going from an idea to a finished product generally takes two years. Ideas often come from the athletes and communities it works with; the development team, led by Sebastian Plur Nilssen, then chooses the materials together with the production sites. Prototypes are entrusted to professional athletes and to owners of active dogs, in Norway and abroad.

Manufacturing is mainly in Asia, in factories that the brand describes as expert in textiles. It says that many of its large factories are ISO 9001 certified, and that it is a bluesign SYSTEM partner, a standard that governs materials. It also highlights spare parts, such as the side clips and buckles, so that you can repair rather than replace.

What the brand stands for

Animal welfare comes first, according to the brand: its equipment must be comfortable and functional without hindering the dog. It expects its athletes and partners to treat their dogs well, in terms of health, training and daily life.

Its position on sustainability is simple: the product that lasts is the most sustainable. It cites athletes who have used the same harness for almost ten years, and points out that it collects used equipment to give to shelters and young athletes. Since 2019, it has been replacing its plastic packaging with recyclable materials. Its sister company Non-stop polar, which uses feathers and leather in some products, states that it sources traceable materials, with down certified to the Responsible Down Standard, and the brand says it uses no fur.

Right now

The new product it is putting forward is the Trekking line harness CLIP’N, an updated version of the Line harness 5.0. Its main difference is a clip buckle at the neck, which means the harness does not have to go over the dog’s head.

As for recognition, Non-stop dogwear was ranked in the FT 1000 for 2025, the list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies compiled by the Financial Times, in 13th place in the Retail category. According to PetWorldwide, which announced it on 1 April 2025, the ranking is based on average annual growth between 2020 and 2023, and the brand’s products are sold in more than 2,000 shops across 58 countries.

For readers in Switzerland

The brand’s online shop lists Switzerland in its country selector. It is available in French and German, as well as in English, Spanish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish.