It’s been an amazing couple of months for Erica Cole and her St. Louis-based company, No Limbits, which creates ready-to-wear adaptive clothing for amputees with prosthetics.
“We worked with over 300 amputees and occupational therapists to develop our product,” said Cole, who lost her leg in a car accident in 2018 and began altering clothes for herself, then expanded to people with a variety of disabilities.
In March, outdoor retailer Moosejaw announced that No Limbits was a winner in its 2022 Outdoor Accelerator Program (MOA). This program is designed to help founders from diverse backgrounds grow a successful outdoor company. MOA provides access to educational and networking resources, strategic partnerships, legal advice, and potential investors.
“With Moosejaw, we can explore their technical knowledge, construction, and fabrics,” Cole said, who is expanding her line to include outerwear for those with sensory processing disorder. “Clothes that are scratchy, noisy, and have zippers are a nightmare for people with sensory processing disorder.
“The technical challenge parallels with hunting apparel, of all things,” Cole continued. “If you think about a hunter in a stand, they’re often seated for long periods of time and have to be really quiet. We can use some of Moosejaw’s expertise in hunting apparel and transfer that knowledge for those in wheelchairs and to create something that’s also sensory friendly.”
Then, in April, it was announced that Cole would receive a $100,000 investment from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Emma Grede, co-founder of the inclusive fashion company Good American, after an appearance on the television show “Shark Tank.”
“Clothing should be accessible for all and…we’re one step closer to making that a reality for amputees who currently have extremely limited outdoor clothing options,” Cole said.
Top Image: Erica Cole on the television show “Shark Tank.”
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