Don't like boring buttons? Lake Villa inventor has you covered

The desire to "dress up" her young daughter's winter coat drove Jennifer Clark to invent a new product that's now hitting the market.

Clark was getting her 4-year-old dressed for Christmas and wanted to make her coat more festive for the holiday. She searched for button covers, but could not find what she had in mind.

So Clark, of Lake Villa, spent the next two years designing her own button covers and turning them into a business.

Clark, 37, started JDC Accessories Inc., hired a patent attorney, worked with a manufacturer and then came up with packaging. "There were a million choices to be made," Clark said.

The entrepreneur is now starting to market the Button-caps, round embroidery patches that have a silicone rubber backing to attach to the button.

"They pull and stretch over the button," Clark said.

She has created 65 designs for the caps with an array of theme including sports, holidays, seasons, animals, peace signs and flags. The covers come in two sizes and sell for $5 for two. The covers fit well over the buttons of Ugg boots, small buckles and winter coats, she said.

The Libertyville High School graduate is now selling the pieces at boutiques in Deerfield, at hospital gift shops and at the Milwaukee Zoo. They are also available to order through her Web site at button-caps.com.

Before launching her own business, Clark helped her husband, Jason, run his small business. Jason works as a builder and licensed electrician. The couple is raising two children, Marcus, 15, and Elizabeth, 6.

In an effort to market the new product, Clark, will attend the upcoming Kids Show, a trade show for buyers in Las Vegas.

It has been difficult to get retailers to purchase her new product. The economy and retailers' cautious approach in ordering inventory are making it tough, she says.

"It's difficult to get the word out there," Clark said. But she says the fact that her product is unique and original is helping.

• Kim Mikus covers small business. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or at kmikus@dailyherald.com.