By LORETTA SWORD at THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

They didn’t win, but they weren’t eaten alive, either.

In fact, Buck and Arlene Weimer’s business – underwear for people with extreme flatulence – received a huge boost from their appearance last Sunday on ABC-TV’s “Shark Tank.”

Each week the show pits six entrepreneurs and inventors against each other before a panel of real-life, self-made millionaires and billionaires who also started small.

The winner each week receives money for startup and marketing costs.

The show’s producers invited the Weimers to apply in June. They were accepted after completing an exhaustive check into their business and financial histories.

All of the judges agreed they’d never come across a product like Under-Ease, custom-made underwear for people whose digestive problems cause extremely smelly flatulence.

And a couple of the judges admitted they were tempted to vote for the unusual product, which Weimer invented as an answer to his wife’s years-long struggle with flatulence related to Crohn’s disease.

“They loved us. They really did,” Weimer said. “They told us we should get in the business of happy marriages – which of course, we are – but they didn’t know that.”

Both of the Weimers are longtime psychotherapists. She maintains a private practice and Weimer, although retired, often fills in at Parkview Medical Center’s employee assistance program.

Last Sunday’s winning contestant makes personalized nutrition bars.

Arlene Weimer said one judge, FUBU clothing magnate Daymond John, “was very interested in our project. He started his business in his basement” and mortgaged his house for funding.
“He said, ‘I may live to regret this, but I’m going to have to say no,’ ” Arlene recalled. “He said he just wasn’t sure how he’d market our product.”

The couple take orders online and fill them through a mom-and-pop custom sewing business in Denver.

“Nine out of 10 people thought it was a joke in the beginning, and it’s still a problem of product recognition, along with name recognition,” Buck Weimer said.

Despite not winning, Arlene Weimer said orders for Under-Ease and a newly upgraded line of protective underwear have “gone through the roof” since the show aired. “Being seen by 6 million viewers is advertising we could never afford,” she said.

One of the viewers, a gastroenterologist, called afterward to explore investment options, Arlene Weimer said. “We’re negotiating with him. He has access to a large list of doctors who don’t know about Under-Ease, and that’s a good place to start,” she said.

In the meantime, they’re riding a wave of publicity like that experienced after humorist Dave Barry mentioned Under-Ease in a column about unique Christmas gifts for those who have everything.

They also have scurried to meet order surges after various other statewide and national media interviews and appearances, including one on Howard Stern’s talk show.

Even if the business never makes them rich – “which of course, we wouldn’t mind,” Buck says – the Weimers have visited many cities and met hundreds of people while introducing their product at specialized trade shows, and to TV and radio listeners.
Buck was among 10 other researchers, inventors and scientists to receive the 2001 Ig Nobel Prize from Harvard University. The prize honors people whose achievements or inventions celebrate the unusual, imaginative and goofy elements of science, medicine and technology.

“It’s been quite an adventure,” Arlene said. “And the main point is that we’re offering something that helps people. There are so many people out there who feel like they can’t get on an airplane to go somewhere. Some people can’t even go to the grocery store. Once people realize how well these work, their anxiety levels go down, too. And the less anxiety you have, the less flatulence you produce.”

Published Sunday, December 2, 2001

Suggested by many alert readers

This could very well be the most exciting scientific breakthrough item that we have ever featured in the Gift Guide. “Under-Ease” is a revolutionary new air-tight underwear that contains a charcoal filter, which filters out noxious bodily odors before they can escape into the atmosphere and be blamed on the dog.

This product was invented by a Pueblo, Colo., man named Buck Weimer. In a deeply moving interview with the Denver Post, Buck revealed that he first dreamed of this concept one evening after a Thanksgiving dinner, when he and his wife, who suffers from an inflammatory bowel syndrome, were lying in bed, and she cut loose with a near-nuclear blast. Lying there, eyes watering, Buck resolved to do something, and, after years of research, he perfected and patented the design for Under-Ease.

We cannot think of a more thoughtful gift than this for that friend or loved one who cannot figure out why people keep leaving the room. Under-Ease: It reeks of the holiday spirit.

Buck & Arlene were invited to be interviewed by Howard Stern, but were initially skeptical. However, after getting inside the studio, he showed himself to be sincerely interested in the benefits of wearing UNDER-EASE. The Weimers were impressed with his humorous but respectful approach in dealing with the subject that few can discuss openly.

Appearing on the show with the Weimers was the up-and-coming actress Mary McCormick and the rock group Stone Temple Pilots.

Buck Weimer, inventor of UNDER-EASE Protective Underwear for Flatulence, was among ten other researchers, inventors and scientists to receive the 2001 Ig Nobel Prize. The Ig Nobel Prize is designed to honor people whose achievements celebrate the unusual, imaginative, and goofy elements of science, medicine, and technology.

Nobel Prize winners – actual recipients of the world’s most coveted award for distinguished and groundbreaking discoveries – bestow the awards.

Weimer stresses that UNDER-EASE is a serious memdical product. “While we appreciate the humor – and we get a lot of that – we recognize that it’s a serious medical product, and it’s for people in need.”

For more information go to www.improbable.com

Necessity is truly the mother of invention. Buck and Arlene Weimer, owners of the Under-Tec Corp., tell the story of how Buck came up with the idea for his invention, Under-Ease underwear, and protective underwear designed to filter out the odor of human gas.

Arlene Weimer has had Crohn’s Disease, a form of inflammatory bowel syndrome, since she was 25. “When I get an acute attack, I can’t digest and have really foul-smelling gas. Buck and I have been together for about 35 years, and about seven years ago after a bit Thanksgiving meal, I was having – not a bad, acute attack – but it was bad gas. He was laying in bed and thinking, ‘Well, I can’t divorce her over this because it doesn’t look good on your resume,’ and besides, he loves me,” said Arlene.

“So he thought of a pair of underwear that could filter out the foul smell and then he went about doing research on the filter,” she added.

Eventually, Buck developed underwear that could do this effectively. “It’s air-tight underwear, but in the back bottom area we have what is called the exit hole, where we have a pocket made out of porous material to allow the gas to escape,” said Buck.

Buck had many challenges to overcome in the initial design of the protective underwear. “The problem was to capture the foul-smelling gas, which is basically hydrogen sulfide and to allow the non-smelling gas to pass through, which is basically methane, hydrogen and oxygen,” he said.

Buck utilized his creativity to experiment with prototypes. “I started off with a filter that I got out of gas masks OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) uses for coal mines. And then I went down to the drugstore to buy a pair of disposable underwear used for incontinence and just cut a hole in the back and sewed this filter in. It wasn’t real good, but it was a good start,” he said.

Buck’s experimentation resulted in a filter of seven layers, but only one-quarter of an inch thick. “Charcoal is in the center of it and the outside of it is Australian sheep’s wool, which is like a felt and very effective as a filter,” explained Buck.

Once the Weimers were satisfied with their finished product, they were faced with another challenge – the patenting process.

Buck went through the patenting process himself, something he says was a lot of work and rather expensive.

“Initially they rejected it, but I went through the appeals process and won, so then they gave me the patent.” The patent was issued about two years ago.

Patience was in order for the next obstacle – getting the pattern made to facilitate production.

“We couldn’t really find anybody in Pueblo who was skilled enough to make a professional pattern,” Buck said. Buck and Arlene decided to go one of the clothing-manufacturing centers in Los Angeles. It was there that they finally found somebody and located a manufacturer. That process took another two years.

The Weimers used their own money to finance their endeavors. “It was a lot of work,” admitted Buck. “And a lot of hours and $20,000 of our own money – so I guess we’re committed,” added Arlene.

The Weimers are thankful to their board members for their guidance. “The best advice that they gave us was to go slow and start small. We were ready to advertise all over the United States on our Web site. And they told us to start just in Pueblo and the region, get all the kinks out of the system …” said Buck.

Now, Buck is confident that most of the kinks have worked out, and is ready to begin building his inventory before taking the product to a national level.

And national demand could come soon. Buck and Arlene have been featured on radio, television and in newspaper, but will soon be broadening their advertising scope.

“Modern Maturity (magazine) is ready for our press release and they have like 20 million (readers) that they send out to. And it’s a real target market because we’re finding that mostly older people are responding to (our product). We have that in place, and we have Gastro-Enterology Journal and (we have plans) to get a press release to the op five newspapers in every state in the country,” said Arlene.

The Weimers have found satisfaction, thanks to their perseverance. “It’s been a wonderful experience for us, taking it from the original idea all the way through the development and patenting process and the manufacturing process, and now starting the marketing process,” said Buck.

People with different conditions and different ages have a need for their product, explained the Weimers. “It’s really for people not only with inflammatory bowel syndrome, but for people with irritable bowel, people who eat lots of fiber or have lactose intolerance,” said Arlene. “And also for diabetics who take medication. The main by-products of the medication is malodorous flatulence,” added Buck.

“And (wearing Under-Ease) is nice when you travel,” said Arlene. “Any closed-in area in trains, plains and automobiles – especially in bed,” added Buck.

The tales of gratitude the Weimers have received customers have touched their hearts. “A little old lady called and said she hadn’t gone to church in two years and she’d really been wanting something like this. And a little boy in Colorado Springs, his father came down to get a pair and (explained that his soon) had cystic fibrosis and had some surgery and his best friend wouldn’t play with him,” said Arlene.

“We’re both service-oriented and we want to help people of all ages get away from the isolation and get into more social relationships,” said Arlene. “Our theme is ‘Wear them for the ones you love,” Buck said.

You know the moment everyone pretends to ignore? When someone unpacks their grip, lets one rip, cuts the cheese?

Your nose hair curls. Your eyes tear up.

Flatulence.

It’s a subject most people don’t talk about, unless, of course, you’re a young boy who delights in every melodic note.

Buck Weimer, 62, of Pueblo is different than most adults. He actually likes talking about, um, farts. He’ll even tell you what happened after a huge Thanksgiving dinner more than six years ago.

He and his wife, Arlene, 57, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, a form of inflammatory bowel syndrome, were lying under the covers when she let go a bomb.

“I’m laying in bed with her, sort of suffering silently,” he said.

Out of the silence came determination. Something had to be done.

More than six years later, Buck Weimer has a new invention: Under-Ease, airtight underwear with a replaceable charcoal filter that removes bad-smelling gases before they escape. Weimer received a patent in 1998.

The undies are made from a soft, airtight, nylon-type fabric. Elastic is sewn around the waist and both legs. The removable filter – which looks similar to the shoulder pads placed in women’s clothing – is made of charcoal sandwiched between two layers of Australian Sheep’s wool.

“It sounds like a brilliant idea,” said Dr. Robert Nieder, past president of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation in Denver. “If there’s a fairly good seal … charcoal filters remove odors.”

The trickiest part of developing the undies was finding a filter that wasn’t too bulky but could capture the bad-smelling gas and allow the non-smelling gas – hydrogen and oxygen – to pass through. Weimer tweaked a filter used in gas masks worn by coal miners and inserted it into the rump of his undies.

Earlier this year, in the first run, 750 pairs of underwear were created, and Colorado Contract Cut & Sew of Denver is now assembling another run. They come in boxers for men, and panties for women and sell for $24.95; two replacement filters cost $9.95.

The company’s motto: “Wear them for the ones you love.”

The Weimers are accustomed to the jokes and locker room humor. Behind the levity, though, flatulence can be a serious problem for some people.

Arlene Weimer, a psychologist in Pueblo, has suffered from Crohn’s disease for 25 years. Her most embarrassing moment came when a client came to her office and said it smelled like a sewer. He asked about plumbing problems.

Even though a healthy person farts an average of 16 times a day, according to UselessKnowledge.com, flatulence is a very private matter. The Weimers set up a booth at a health fair in Pueblo. People took brochures, but no one purchased Under-Ease. Almost every sale has come from via the Internet.

Since the Weimers started selling Under-Ease, they’ve heard heart-warming stories from customers. One elderly woman said she hadn’t been to church for two years because she was embarrassed by her flatulence. A grandfather of a 10-year-old boy with digestive problems said his grandson nearly lost his best friend because he couldn’t stand the smell.

“We’re really doing this a lot out of trying to help people,” Arlene Weimer said.

The gas we pass may cause others to snicker, hold their noses or even flee the room.

Although we all suffer gaseous emissions from time to time- hey, it wasn’t me! – flatulence is more of a problem for some than others. Often it’s just a matter of controlling diet. But such conditions as irritable bowel syndrome, certain medications and lactose intolerance can result in excessive or especially foul-smelling flatulence – and thus extreme social embarrassment.

Pueblo-based Under-Tec Corp. offers help with Under-Ease – “protective underwear for flatulence.”

The company’s motto: “Wear them for the ones you love.”

“We get a lot of jokes,” acknowledges Buck Weimer, company president and inventor of Under-Ease. “But we don’t have any doubt that this is a serious product that serves a purpose.”

UNDER-TEC Corporation of Pueblo, Colorado, and its inventor Buck Weimer, has produced a new generation of protective underwear patented to filter out the bad smell of human gas (flatulence).

The underwear, called UNDER-EASE, is made from a soft, nylon (poly- urethane-coated) fabric with an “exit hole” cut from the back of the air-tight material near the bottom for gas to be expelled. This exit hole is covered with a uniquely designed “pocket” made from an ordinary porous fabric.

A high functioning, replaceable filter pad is inside the pocket through which all gas passes. This multi-layered filter pad contains, among other things, two layers of Australian sheep’s wool and a layer of activated carbon. This filter pad traps the 1-2 percent of human gas creating the foul smell (mostly hydrogen sulfide) but allows the remaining non-smelling gas (mostly methane) to pass through. It also allows the natural buildup of body heat to pass through.

Millions of people around the world suffer the embarrassment of their bad smelling flatulence. Some of this bad gas is caused by poor eating habits, but most because of Gastro Intestinal Disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome – Ulcerative Colitis, or Crohn’s Disease. (Mr. Weimer’s wife, Arlene, has Crohn’s Disease, and was the inspiration for the invention.) In addition, those people with a Lactose Intolerance, taking Diabetes medication or the elderly could also benefit from wearing UNDER-EASE.

Other products for flatulence on the market include medications that must be ingested or bulky cushions that have to be carried around. UNDER-EASE, on the other hand, can be worn as underwear and can be worn to bed over regular underwear. They can be worn to work under regular trousers or dresses without detection; and in most social settings (except bathing, swimming, hot tubs or other water-related activities).

UNDER-EASE are comfortable, washable, and should last 6 months to 1 year under ordinary conditions. Test marketing has validated the effectiveness of the filter, which can be replaced, and lasts 1-6 months; depending on use..

UNDER-TEC Corporation has moderately priced these protective underwear with filter pad at $24.95, and replacement filter pads at $9.95 (pk of 2). Order by calling 1-888-433-5913 or visit the Web site at www.Under-Tec.com.