Local Business Turns Adult Bibs Into Fashion Statements

When Kathy Steck, owner of DinerWear Llc., started her business, she wanted to design an adult bib that provided elegance, dignity, and integrity.

Recently, Steck submitted information about her business to Patch. If you have a business and want to participate in Patch's Small Business Shout Out you can fill out the form here.

What's a fact about your business that most customers probably don't know?: DinerWear always considers the feedback from our customers and potential customers. Two of our products are a direct result of input from customers. We continue to search for solutions to feedback provided to us, such as finding a optional, easy to use closure for the Cravaat, and an easy to use clasp for the Napkin at Your Neck, as well as additional fabric choices. However, most of our customers don't realize that there are many factors to consider when implementing these types of solutions, because we try to solve the problem for the majority of our customers. Therefore solutions take longer than any of us would like.

When was the business founded?: DinerWear® Llc was registered in Michigan in February 2010, but it was nearly 8 months before we had our website up and running. Then we learned that the phrase, "If you build it they will come," does not apply to websites. In March 2012, we implemented SEO strategies, which put us on the internet map.

How did your business come to be?: How do you solve an embarrassing problem with grace and style? You combine fashion with function and give it a French twist. That’s what Kathy Steck did with the Cravaat™ by DinerWear®. She turned the “adult bib” into a fashion statement. This bib alternative is a fashionable scarf that protects your clothes from food spills, an idea that dates back to the 17th century when linen neckcloths were worn by Croatian mercenaries in the French army and were later believe to be worn to cover shirts that were not immaculately clean or to protect them from getting dirty. Ever tuck a napkin in your shirt to avoid stains while eating? Emily Post says to keep it on your lap. Steck suggests you get yourself a Cravaat™ instead. You’ll look more dignified. Steck got the idea when a friend said, “Adults don’t want to wear bibs.” But she knew many adults succumbed to them. Her grandmother wore a lamiae one, but for as fancy as it may have been, it was still a bib. So Steck tapped into her creative juices and came up with a solution that looked nothing like those oversized child products. “I love to wear scarves,” Steck says, “and realized they covered just where you need it. But it had to be made with the right fabric in order to still be elegant while also being stain resistant and machine washable.” When she found the suede-like microfiber she’s currently using she knew she found the ideal solution.

Why did you choose to locate to Novi?: Steck approached Executive Directors of senior living communities to confirm the need. What she got was a resounding yes (plus another product design and her first order. Go to Cravaat™.com to see more styles.) It wasn’t long before she discovered another customer base - woman who wanted to protect “the shelf.” Then there was the mom who bought a scarf for her daughter who had been injured in a car accident and hated the idea of having to wear a bib. And the woman whose husband took to wearing her scarf to protect his business clothes from their spaghetti dinner. Even Steck’s eight-year-old nephew, who is a master at spills, has saved more than one shirt, proving it’s a great solution for every age, and saving her sister from a lot of laundry headaches because it’s a lot easier to wash the Cravaat™ then a tie. Market Research confirmed a very large market, with nearly 40 million Americans over the age of 65 (a number expected to double by 2030), and 5.6 million Americans with Alzheimers. Add to that nearly 18 million Americans with Disabilities, and the countless other people who are simply dining challenged and the market potential is massive. Also, with the changing face of old age, the elderly have different expectations in their care. DinerWear® plans to grow with this marketplace."

What kind of services do you offer?: DinerWear® is in the business of providing clothing protection with style and dignity.
We sell our products to individuals of all ages, as well as to senior living communities.

What do you want your business to be best known for?: Elegance, Dignity, and Integrity... and Made in the USA. We at DinerWear® make our design choices to provide as much elegance and dignity as possible. We manage the business with integrity and treat our customers like we would like to be treated.

What's your most popular product or service?: The Cravaat™ is our most popular product because it can be used by anyone of any age. Because it looks like nothing more than a scarf (but is so much more), it is the most discreet of our products. However, the Napkin at Your Neck is the most popular product for those in the later stages of alzheimer's/dementia.