How Rein Pets Is Fetching a Global Audience

Three Founders With One Big Idea

All three Rein co-founders come from immigrant families, a background that, as they describe it, gives them a deep drive to build something of their own. Adace and Jennifer each spent over a decade in design, technical design, and product development for corporate brands. Nathan brought advertising expertise to the mix. Together, they had the skills. What they needed was the right problem.

It found them when they became first-time pet parents.

So they asked a simple question: What would this look like if it were actually designed for a modern city lifestyle? That question now drives every product decision Rein makes, from materials to how a bag sits on the body to whether a pocket genuinely earns its place.

The result is a product line where thoughtfulness shows up in the details. Take their dual-pocket treat pouch, designed to keep high-value training treats separate from everyday ones. It's a genuinely useful feature for any dog owner, and it's designed so it doesn't clash with your outfit. That balance between form and function is Rein's calling card.

The Power of "Designed in Canada"

For Rein, the phrase "Designed in Canada" carries weight well beyond geography. It's tied to a standard of care and craft that the founders believe travels well internationally, a signal of quality that resonates with customers who have never set foot in Toronto.

That identity also carries personal meaning. Building something in Canada that can be shared with the world is, as Adace put it, deeply connected to their immigrant roots and the ambitions that come with them. It's not just a label. It's the story behind the product.

When Good Design Gets Noticed

Rein's momentum has been building steadily. In 2026, the Pet Innovation Awards named the brand Pet Accessory Company of the Year. That recognition comes from a globally recognized organization, and it carries real weight for a young brand still establishing itself on the world stage.

Then came the DHL Grow Your Global win.

As one of the 2026 Grow Your Global winners, Rein receives a $20,000 prize split into two parts: $10,000 in international shipping support from DHL, and $10,000 to invest in a growth strategy alongside a dedicated business coach. For a founder trio that spent years navigating the corporate world before striking out on their own, having logistical support and strategic guidance in the same package is significant.

Where the $20K Goes: Duties, Customs Clearance, and Coaching

The DHL international shipping support tackles some of the most persistent headaches for Canadian small businesses selling abroad, including tariffs, duties and taxes, and cross-border logistics. Those costs add up and shift unpredictably. For example, the end of the de minimis exemption in the US removed the duty-free threshold that once covered most low-value parcels, so a package that crossed the border duty-free last year can now arrive with duties owing. For a small team, that makes it hard for small teams to plan and price with confidence.

Having DHL in their corner, Adace said, is “a real relief.” Customs clearance, paperwork, and international fulfillment stop being their problem to solve, which frees the team to focus on the parts of the business they love. The coaching matters just as much. Growing internationally requires strategic sequencing: which markets first, how to position the brand, and where to invest limited resources.

Their target markets are the US, UK, and Australia, regions where lifestyle-forward pet ownership is already a cultural norm and where Rein's design philosophy is likely to find an enthusiastic audience.

Small Business Tips for Growing a Canadian Brand Globally

●      Let your origin story do some of the work. "Designed in Canada" signals quality and thoughtfulness to international customers. Don't underestimate the credibility your background carries with buyers who are actively seeking brands they can trust.

●      Solve a real problem before you scale. Rein didn't go global first. They validated their concept at home. The Pet Innovation Award and the community they'd built in Canada gave them the confidence that their product could work in new markets. Proof of concept travels.

●      Don't try to navigate logistics alone. Tariffs, duties and taxes, and customs clearance are real barriers for a small team. Partnering with experts like DHL, who understand the mechanics of cross-border commerce, frees up time and mental energy for the decisions only you can make.

●      Get comfortable wearing every hat, and know when to ask for help. The shift from corporate structure to startup reality is jarring. Rein's co-founders manage every operational role themselves. Having mentorship and coaching available, as the prize provides, can make that weight significantly more manageable.

What's Next for Rein

Winning Grow Your Global speeds up the timeline, as the team puts it.

Rein has been shaped by the feedback of real dog owners, people who share how a bag fits into their morning routine or how a design detail made a long walk easier. As the brand grows internationally, they plan to bring that same sense of closeness to new customers. The pet parent community, as they put it, is warm and passionate wherever you go.

Great design speaks a universal language. Rein is betting on that, and backed by a Pet Innovation Award, a DHL partnership, and a decade of design expertise, they're positioned to prove it.