Honoree | Marita Loffredo, Phalang-Ease Mittens LLC
Until recently, Marita Loffredo didn’t think of herself as a businesswoman, “but necessity is the mother of invention,” she said.
With late-stage rheumatoid arthritis, the West Warwick resident struggled for years to find gloves for hands contorted by the inflammatory disease. Having sensitive joints, putting on gloves could be a chore in itself, not to mention trying to complete any task with them on made her feel like she was operating with “clown shoes” for hands.
Arthritics and those affected by similar maladies, such as Raynaud’s phenomenon, have a unique need for efficient hand covering, Loffredo explained, as even slight changes in temperature can trigger painful spasms or numbness.
Loffredo would take gloves to the supermarket, for instance, as the coldness of the refrigerated section could trigger an attack in her hands.
Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 54.4 million Americans have some form of arthritis, Loffredo found it difficult, even online, to locate resources for a problem countless Americans share.
Loffredo had been thinking fancifully about making a pair of mittens for herself when her hand surgeon gave her the push she needed. “He said it was the No. 1 complaint, ‘there’s nothing out there, go for it.’ ” Loffredo said.
It would take Loffredo 10 years to translate her idea into a marketable product: Phalang-Ease mittens.
Instead of sliding a hand in – a potentially painful and laborious effort for those with arthritic conditions – the gloves have a flap on the bottom that allows users or caregivers easy access.
The high-quality fleece is 100 percent windproof and water resistant, while the elastic is strong enough to keep out wind but not too tight that it agitates the wrist.
“It’s a universal design, so you don’t have to have handicapped hands to wear them,” Loffredo said.
The precariousness of her condition, especially considering the launch in 2014 of Phalang-Ease Mittens LLC, led Loffredo to transfer ownership of the company to her sons Peter and Michael, though she still helps with events and marketing.
This past winter was the first selling season. Loffredo estimates that she sold or comped about 60 pairs from an initial order of 188 from the manufacturer. They sell for $37.50 a pair.
Though she never trained in business, Loffredo has an instinctual acumen and attention to detail that have helped her transition to the commercial world. Instead of occupying herself with the thought of profits and dividends, though, Loffredo says she considers the impact her gloves have on others to be most important.
“If I can help somebody feel better in cold weather, that would be wonderful,” Loffredo said. “I’ve tried to keep costs low because I want everybody who needs them to be able to afford them and have some comfort.”
