07.14.09
DOWN TO EARTH - Despite a tough economy, a California couple is turning their homegrown invention into a booming business.
San Marcos resident Samahna Stefanich is a mother of two and is turning her invention in a successful home-based business.
"We can fill two hamper-fulls of laundry every week," said Stefanich. "One evening my husband was needing to wear a certain shirt out to dinner and I mentioned to him it would be great if we could just refresh it and we didn't have to wash and dry it or take it to the dry cleaners."
After two years of research and testing in their own laundry room, Stefanich and her husband, Mark, came up with a solution that they call the Refresh'n Dryer Towel.
"We wanted to be able to pick up dust, lint, odor. Basically, what we wanted to is a quick wash but in the dryer," said Stefanich.
The towel is made of two different fibers -- one holds eight to 10 times its weight in water and the other is designed to heat up quickly to create steam in the dryer.
Stefanich calls it a cheap alternative to dry cleaning and a major water saver.
So, what about critics who say the same thing can be done with an old-fashioned dryer sheet?
"The dryer sheet only adds fragrance and stops static. This product actually steams in your dryer," said Stefanich.
The couple's home has turned into a makeshift warehouse, with Mark Stefanich packing and shipping online orders.
The couple is not alone as in a tough economy more and more people are looking to start their own business.
According to the Small Business Administration, interest in entrepreneurship has spiked, with a 25 percent increase in the number of visits to its Web site so far this year over the same time last year.
As for the Stefanich family, they said they are hoping to make their mark one load at a time.
The Refresh'n Dryer Towel sells for about $9 and can be used through 25 cycles.
