Patent Attorney and Founder
NASA actually tested the tech to clean air on the International Space Station. No, NASA doesn’t endorse the product. But still, pretty cool.
So, what’s in it? It’s made from activated carbon cloth. Now, there are a lot of carbon cloth products out there. Here’s the difference:
They ran tests against the top competitors and found this version absorbed up to eight times more odor, especially from shoes.
How long does it last?
About two months, or around 60 wears.
You said it has more odor control power than a whole tennis court?
Yep. It looks small, but inside it’s packed with millions of tiny pores. Think of each one like a little odor magnet. If you spread them all out flat, the surface area would cover an entire tennis court.
It’s all about density.
Here’s a fun stat:
40% of people who buy this have never tried any odor product before.
Where are they finding it?
Mostly online, direct-to-consumer through the brand’s site. They’re also launching on Amazon, Walmart, and Jet.
What’s the cost?
$5 per pair.
Current manufacturing cost is $1.65, but once scaled, it’ll drop to about $0.80.
Made in the USA?
Yep, all made in New Jersey.
Total sales?
$103,000 since launching in July 2017.
“What size shoe do you wear?”
“9 and a half.”
“I’m a 17. You might need a few more of these for me.”
“We haven’t tested size 17s yet, to be honest!”
Is it patented?
They filed a provisional patent. Not on the material itself, that’s bought from another company, but on how the product is constructed.
What’s the funding for?
Mainly marketing and retail growth.
They believe growth will come from retail placement and want to invest in building a strong brand.
Why spend $150,000 on branding?
Their pitch: “We can bring 40% new customers to your aisle.”
But one of the Sharks didn’t buy it:
“Harvard Business School ruined you guys. I’m out.”
Brutal.
No one’s really driven traffic to odor products in retail before. So the concern is: will anyone actually notice?
Their original patent application?
Turns out, it was abandoned. Looks like they ran into prior art. The claims were broad, non-woven thermoplastics, and it was rejected around 2020.
Still, they figured things out.
Shark Tank update: They’re now doing $4 million a year on Amazon.
NASA testing helped grab attention, sure. But they got traction by showing up where customers shop.
On the trademark side, yeah, they filed one. But the wording was a little clunky. Probably DIYed it without a lawyer. They called it a “shoe insert for non-orthopedic purposes.” That’s a little vague, but still works.
Do you wear them in your shoes or after?
Turns out, you wear them while you wear your shoes, so yeah, it counts as an insert.
Last point:
If you’re raising money, get everything in writing. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Shark or just a local investor, structure your business, set clear terms, and protect your IP.
And here’s a tip: some investors will cover your patent costs to help protect the product they’re backing. So if you’re pitching, bring that up. It could help close the deal.