About Us
Malz Palz began in 2013 as an idea:
“Hi, my name is Mal, be my pal?”
On March 2, 2012, my best friend was born. My best friend has two blue eyes, four stumpy legs, and one huge heart. No one could possibly love me more than my best friend, and I couldn’t possibly love another more than she. Her name is Malygos and I began Malz Palz because she gave me strength and courage.
As soon as I met Malygos — named after the blue aspect dragon of magic from World of Warcraft — I was obsessed. I began drawing her over and over until I knew each and every marking. Soon doodling just her wasn’t enough — I started sketching Malygos’s friends and family, using hearts and shapes to build each unique animal body. This is how the style of Malz Palz was born.
When I graduated design school in May 2013, Malygos and I moved to the big city. After few months doing freelance pet portraiture, I started working at a digital design agency and met Ryan, a fellow graphic designer. Ryan and Maly fell instantly in love and the three of us were inseparable. We attended every NYC dog event we possibly could from FrapPack Corgi meet ups to Bark & Co’s ‘Cooking for your Pup.”
Living in New York City, I would pass homeless people and their furry companions daily and it pained me to see anyone in need, especially an animal. I hated having to pick and choose which pups to buy food for, or who to give a few dollars to that day. I wanted to be able to help more. I decided to move full speed ahead on creating a gift company for animal lovers, by animal lovers, hoping that one day Malz Palz would be able to help feed animals while spreading laughter and love.
Of course I couldn’t do this all on my own which is where Ryan comes in. In addition to bringing some serious pawsitive vibes to the team, Ryan is the resident typography and photography wizard. Right now we’re a two person, one dog (and two cats) team but we plan to keep moving forward. Who knows where Malz Palz will take us? This company was born with love and our goal is to keep spreading love!
Malz Palz is for the sweet woman I lived with in Harlem years back who bought and cooked actual meals for the homeless cats outside. Malz Palz is for my mother who I could only describe as Mother Nature. She was kind to every animal, whether it be a mouse who wandered in or a duck missing its mother. Malz Palz is for Malygos because without her there would be no Malz Palz. Most importantly, Malz Palz is for everyone. Everyone big or small, two legs or four. Everyone who shares that intense bond with another soul. Everyone who knows that family is not always blood.