Our Story
Fur the Love of
Fur the Love of
Fetch and Forests.
Bark Balls started with one dog, one ball, and one question: where do these go when they're done?
Bark Balls started with one dog, one ball, and one question: where do these go when they're done?
"She doesn't know the balls are upcycled. She just knows she loves them."
Bark Balls started with one very fetch-obsessed goldendoodle named Tilly. Watching Natalie buy brand-new tennis balls again and again, she asked a simple question: where do all the old ones go?
The answer was staggering — around 330 million tennis balls are produced globally each year, and barely 1% are ever recycled. So she started collecting used balls from local courts and building partnerships to turn an overlooked waste stream into something joyful. And yes — her last name really is Ball. Maybe it was destiny.
Her goldendoodle, Tilly Ball, quickly became Bark Balls' first product tester and Chief Fetch Officer. She inspects every shipment personally.
Today, Bark Balls helps create more opportunities for play while supporting causes that matter. Because every ball deserves another throw. And every dog deserves another game of fetch.
Each one takes hundreds of years to decompose. Only about 1% are ever recycled. We're changing that, one ball at a time.
We're a for-profit social enterprise, not a charity. Every operational decision is made to keep us sustainable so we can keep the mission going — long-term.
Shop & Give BackThe humans turning waste into wags — one fetch at a time.
Natalie is the founder of Bark Balls, where she blends her love of dogs, sustainability, and bringing people together around simple ideas that make a difference. She believes the best solutions often start with an unexpected question — and the curiosity to follow where it leads.
When she's not dreaming up Bark Balls' next partnership, you'll find her exploring Colorado with her goldendoodle, Tilly, hunting down a good cup of coffee, or — true to her last name — surrounded by tennis balls. And yes, Ball really is her last name.
Linda helps keep the Bark Balls mission moving — one tennis ball at a time. A passionate paddle and pickleball instructor and racquet sports enthusiast, she has a knack for building relationships and rallying her community around a good cause. Whether she's collecting used tennis balls, connecting with local facilities, or spreading the word wherever she goes, Linda helps transform waste into wags.
As Natalie's mom, she's supported the Bark Balls vision from the very beginning — proving that sustainability is truly a family affair.
Serena helps turn waste into wags. She's the one collecting tennis balls, packing East Coast orders, dreaming up social content, and capturing all the pawsome moments in between. Whether she's behind the camera or knee-deep in tennis balls, Serena is helping Bark Balls grow its impact one fetch at a time.
Her four-legged assistant? Roxy — Tilly's cousin and an expert in the art of fetch.
Katie is the matchmaker behind Bark Balls' growing network of partners. From answering donation inquiries to helping launch new collaborations with tennis facilities, tournaments, and community organizations, she helps transform big ideas into real-world impact.
With a talent for building relationships and keeping all the moving pieces in play, Katie helps more tennis balls find their way from courts to canines. As Natalie's cousin, she's cheered Bark Balls on from the start — and now helps lead the charge.
Every company answers to someone. Ours answer to two — and they personally inspect every shipment.
At checkout, every customer picks one of three causes. We pool those proceeds and send them to vetted partner organizations in that category — then report where the money went, so you can see your impact, not just take our word for it.
Local shelters and rescues caring for dogs waiting on their forever homes — with a focus on partners who also collect balls for us. It's circular giving.
Regional humane societies running adoption, rescue, and animal-care programs in the communities we collect from.
Organizations working on waste reduction, conservation, and circular-economy initiatives — keeping more out of landfills.
Bark Balls was incubated through the Harvard Innovation Labs Student i-Lab Membership — validating our business model and sustainability framework with world-class mentorship.
Shop Bark Balls, donate your used tennis balls, or partner your facility. Every action keeps more balls in play.
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