As a firefighter for more than two decades at the Newport Fire Department, James Rimoshytus often found himself in a frustrating situation: After throwing his fire uniform in his car, the hair from his yellow lab Jack (and frequent car companion) would get all over it.
After wearing a hair-infested uniform for some time, Rimoshytus began to notice that some of the hair would fall off his uniform when it came into contact with the leather knee pads he sometimes had to wear while on duty.
One day, Rimoshytus went into his house, cut out a big piece of leather and wiped it all over his car. Not only did he get all of Jack’s hair off of his uniform and car, but he realized he was onto something big.
Seven years later, that idea has grown into the company Furrfighters, which makes a variety of leather-based products such as pens, gloves and brushes that can effectively clean and remove pet shedding from most surfaces and objects. Then, all users need to do to get the hair off the of the leather-based material is to clap it against another object or surface.
“I just need to get the word out because the product is fully ready."
The products can also remove lint, dust, dandruff, dirt, crumbs and even glitter from most surfaces as well, and can be wiped directly on pets to remove loose or shedding fur. Natural oils in the material gives pets a shiny coat after use.
Furrfighters are also portable, washable, reusable, biodegradable, recyclable and made from 99 percent natural materials. Unlike typical lint rollers, there are no sticky or rubbery surfaces and no batteries, electricity or refill sheets required.
“With a few swipes we create a little Furrfighter magic and the hair is attracted to our material and then just a few slaps against another surface and the hair is gone,” Rimoshytus told Rhode Island Inno.
Rimoshytus first discovered the solution in 2012 and created the product in 2014 by working with a manufacturer in Fall River. But eventually, he found his own people in Providence to help manufacture the product more inexpensively, although he still cuts the leather in his basement.
Aside from some sales help from his brother, who is also a firefighter, Rimoshytus works pretty much on his own.
He first launched the company by attending some trade shows in Florida and Chicago, and even with only partially finished samples, Furrfighters were selling out. The product also garnered an appearance on the TODAY Show and at several promotional events in Hollywood.
That advertising led to sales going international in countries like South Africa, Canada, Norway, England and Mexico. Rimoshytus also obtained a utility patent and raised about $50,000 from a dozen of his firefighter friends. He hit some financial trouble in 2016, but has since got the company back up and running.
Although the longtime firefighter is considering retiring from his day job soon, his business ambitions are just beginning.
Rimoshytus’ goal is to automate the manufacturing process so he can do less manual labor and hit bigger wholesale orders that will continue to boost sales.
Recently, Furrfighters was named one of five finalists in the GetStartedRI Pitch Competition hosted by Cox Communications, where they will compete for a prize package worth more than $50,000.
Rimoshytus also said he auditioned for and made it to the second round of tryouts for ABC’s hit television show Shark Tank. He plans to try again in the near future.
Additionally, Furrfighters is currently participating in an Amazon accelerator program that could see the company become a private label vendor for Amazon exclusively. If approved, that means Amazon would buy the product wholesale and sell it under the Amazon brand.
“I just need to get the word out because the product is fully ready,” said Rimoshytus. “We’re all set to go.”
Disclosure: Cox Communications is a founding partner of Rhode Island Inno.
