GLENDALE, Ariz., Sept. 19, 2026 — 4Knines, a Glendale, Arizona-based manufacturer of vehicle seat covers and cargo liners for pet owners, has surpassed 750,000 units sold, a milestone the company attributes to more than 13 years of product development shaped directly by customer feedback, real-world testing and relationships within the automotive industry.
The company was founded by Jim and Maggie Umlauf after the couple could not find a seat cover durable enough to withstand their two large Dobermans. What began as a solution to their own problem has since grown into a portfolio of more than 20 patents, including the company’s Split-Tech and K9-Shield technologies. According to the company, each new feature and product revision has been developed in response to specific problems reported by customers, reviewed through years of real-world use, and refined through repeated testing rather than modeled after existing products already on the market.
Split-Tech, one of the company’s patented designs, allows for fold-down seat access, middle seatbelt access and armrest access while a seat remains fully covered, a detail the company says came directly from customer requests rather than a general design trend. K9-Shield, a waterproof, non-slip layer used across the product line, was developed after years of feedback about spills, mud and general wear inside vehicles.
4Knines has also built relationships with several automotive manufacturers, including Ford and Stellantis brands Dodge, Jeep and Ram, along with a licensed Nissan program through a distributor. The company says those relationships have shaped how its products are designed to interface with a vehicle, from fit and attachment points to preserving access to seatbelts, armrests and fold-down seat functions, an area the company says sets it apart from general pet-accessory brands that are not built with vehicle-specific engineering in mind.
To verify its performance claims, 4Knines uses independent third-party testing to evaluate its products for durability and waterproof performance, in addition to ongoing in-house testing, including comparative product evaluations and what the company calls its “crazy pull tests” to measure how materials and stitching hold up under stress.
“We don’t create products just because we see something selling online. We start with problems our customers have asked us to solve. Then we use what we’ve learned from more than 13 years of customer feedback, testing and automotive experience to build a better solution.”Â
 JIM UMLAUF, CO-FOUNDER, 4KNINES
Maggie Umlauf, co-founder of 4Knines and a female veteran, said the company’s approach has been shaped by years of firsthand product experience. “One of the advantages of doing this for so long is that you learn things you can’t learn by simply copying a product,” she said. “You see how materials perform over time. You hear what customers wish worked differently. You test, learn and improve, then you put those lessons into the next generation of products.”
Jim Umlauf added that the company does not ask customers to take its performance claims on faith. “We don’t want customers to simply take our word for durability or waterproof performance,” he said. “We use independent third-party testing to help verify those claims, and we continue testing products ourselves. That process keeps us learning and keeps us improving.”
Beyond product development, 4Knines donates a percentage of its sales to animal advocacy organizations, including Companions for Heroes, Pets With Disabilities and Flying Fur Animal Rescue, a practice the company says reflects the values behind why it was founded in the first place.
The company also points to its customer support model as part of what it considers a different kind of relationship with buyers. Customers can call and speak directly with the company’s U.S.-based support team, and qualifying products are backed by a lifetime warranty.
“We want customers to know there are real people standing behind what they buy. You can call us and talk to our team, and we’re confident enough in the quality of our products to back qualifying products with a lifetime warranty.”
 JIM UMLAUF, CO-FOUNDER, 4KNINES
Looking ahead, Jim Umlauf said the company intends to continue building on the same process that reached its current milestone: listening to customers, designing around real problems, and testing products before making claims about how they perform.
More information about 4Knines, including its product development process and testing approach, is available at 4Knines.com. Details on the company’s history and mission can be found on its About page, and an overview of what differentiates its products is available on its Why Buy 4Knines page.
ABOUT 4KNINES
4Knines designs and manufactures patented vehicle seat covers and cargo liners for pet owners, backed by more than 20 patents and over 750,000 units sold. Founded by Jim and Maggie Umlauf, the company develops its products through customer feedback, in-house and third-party testing, and relationships with automotive manufacturers including Ford, Stellantis brands Dodge, Jeep and Ram, and a licensed Nissan program.
Media Contact
David miller
David.miller@downtownpublishers.org
(315) 234-0658
