For 1 in 6 people, buttoning a shirt is a time-consuming process that can throw off an entire day. Farmington Hills mom of two Gina Adams, 49, wanted to create a solution for those with limited dexterity. So she developed magnetic closures that fit over a shirt’s existing buttons, allowing people to keep the clothes they want to wear and their independence, too.
“30 million people have a hand disability that prevents them from dressing independently,” Adams explains. “We’re hoping to make a big impact with a small accessory.”
Adams founded a company called Wareologie two years ago – and, very soon, she’s releasing her first product: a button adapter called Buttons 2 Button.
She says the concept came to her from watching her stepfather struggle with the effects of Parkinson’s disease.
“He had an entire closet of clothes collected over a lifetime,” she says. “I thought, how can we reduce, reuse, recycle and renew what we already own? This is an affordable and simple solution.”
With help from her years of experience working for brands like Spyder, The North Face and J.Crew, Adams got to work designing the adapters.
She recently brought her son, Hayden, 14, and her daughter, Sydney, 16, to the inaugural production run. Packs of nine-set button adapters are scheduled to be released in December and are currently available for preorder.
Adams is already thinking up new inventions, too. A button adapter for pants is in the works, as are bra fixtures and glove and mitten options.
Need to get your hands on some of these adapters? You can preorder your nine-piece set for just $30 at buttons2button.com. Expect your delivery this December.
