AfreSheet has come a long way since its appearance on Shark Tank, when Maxwell Cohen introduced the sharks and their 8 million+ viewers to the genius of disposable sheets for dorm rooms and summer camp bunks. Maxwell was still in the stage of evaluating a need for the product and its marketability. Confident in his product, he went on to expand his vision and rebrand his company. He secured financing from angel investors and venture capitalists, and today his company, Peel Away Labs, produces DORM-A-PEEL, CAMP-A-PEEL, CRIB-A-PEEL and PEEL-AWAYs that come in seven sizes: crib, cot, twin, twin XL, full, queen and king. Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY were among the first retailers to carry the sheets, to the delight of their customers.
While Maxwell was a student at the University of Arizona, he noticed that washing sheets was not high on his dorm mates’ to-do lists (if it was on there at all, if there were indeed to-do lists). He thought what if students could have clean sheets without having to wash them. Disposable sheets! Better yet, the idea coincided with his course of study, Environmental Water Resources Economics, and his concern about the environment. Not only would disposable sheets save students save time, labor and money and labor, but they would reduce the consumption of electricity and water and reduce the amount of chemical pollutants (bleach, detergent) going into our water systems.
Now that Maxwell had the idea, he set out to execute it, first going to the one place that he knew had disposable sheets—a hospital. He bought a spool, and using that as a baseline, he and his team tested more than 30 prototypes to find the perfect material, a proprietary blend of non-woven fibers: polyester for strength, rayon for absorbency and bamboo for softness (in fact, 32% softer than regular sheets).
The sheets have created quite a buzz:
Martha Stewart talked about the “super soft” sheets on her SiriusXM radio program. Good Housekeeping deemed the sheets a “mastermind invention.” Bustle Magazine said millennials love the idea. The sheets have also made an appearance on the Today show and in Business Insider.
And why wouldn’t they? Nothing could be more simple: Peel away the top sheet and you have a clean, fresh, hygienic bed once again.
Camp-A-Peel sheets are wildly popular, not only for the convenience, but the campers sleep soundly on sheets as comfy as they have at home. It sure cuts down on that old bugaboo, homesickness.
Owners of beach homes have also caught on. Beach homes attract overnight (or three- or four-night) guests. One bunch is hardly gone before the next one arrives. Peel back the sheets and go have fun in the sun. No reason to be trapped inside doing laundry.
The sheets also make great gifts. They are a thoughtful and kind gift to the incontinent, since they are absorbent as well as waterproof. An appreciated hostess and host gift for the beach house owners. And they are a “no-brainer” for a baby shower. Picture it: Guests dozing off as the onesies, blankets and milestone albums are passed around. And then the mother-to-be opens CRIB-A-PEEL! She shrieks in delight and suddenly everyone is paying attention.
We take tissues for granted, and disposable diapers. Can’t imagine not having them. Mark my words: The day will come when the younger generation will be incredulous that we once washed sheets! And soon we can add PeelAway pillow cases.
