Here's What Went Down With Under-Ease Underwear After Shark Tank

Under-Ease Underwear was among the first companies to dip its toes in 'shark-infested' waters as the company appeared on "Shark Tank" during the show's first season in 2010. Under-Ease was created by Buck and Arlene Weimer, a couple from Pueblo, Colorado, as a wearable solution to help people with embarrassing odors from chronic flatulence. "Shark Tank's" blog said that during the company's pitch, the sharks struggled not to laugh.

In a 2015 interview with Business Insider, Buck said his wife, who has Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowl condition, inspired the creation of the product following some issues caused by a Thanksgiving meal. He first received a patent for his product in 1997, but went public in 2001 under the company name Under-Tec. The underwear was made by a soft and breathable fabric with laser-cut seams. It also called the material "airtight" with elastic around both legs and a charcoal filter in the back, which helps prevent bad smells. Per The Guardian, Weimer's invention caught the attention of scientists and earned him an Ig Nobel prize that same year.

Per The Denver Gazette, Buck Weimer didn't have any plans to appear on "Shark Tank" when they created Under-Ease. Rather, the series asked him to pitch his idea. "I guess they were just looking for unusual products and they saw us on the Internet," Weimer said.

When Buck and Arlene Weimer presented Under-Ease on "Shark Tank," they asked the sharks for $55,000 for 25% equity in the company, which they said would help scale production, according to the show's blog. They told the judges that they launched the underwear with a direct-sales website, with each unit retailing for $24.95, adding that prior to coming on the show, sales had exceeded $37,000. They had previously generated over $60,000 in sales with "extensive" advertising.

Unfortunately, the sharks decided not to bite and the couple wasn't able to secure a deal. Most of the sharks felt like the market was too niche, while Barbara Corcoran said she'd "rather have gas and wear sexy underwear" than wear Under-Ease. The brand would later go on to sell a range of styles  of Under-Ease underwear, which included thongs, boy shorts and briefs.

Though the couple had not been able to secure a deal on the show, they kept moving forward. Per The Denver Gazette, Under-Ease experienced a surge in orders within days of appearing on the ABC series. Reflecting on the experience, Arlene Weimer told the outlet, "We knew that the exposure would give us a definite increase in sales."

During his 2015 interview with Business Insider, Buck Weimer said his company Under-Tec had a loyal customer base and received steady traffic around the holidays, though maybe not for the reason he was hoping for. "A lot of people think it's a joke, like a gag gift," he said. "People get them for their bosses or something like that. We're fine with that." In spite of the humorous nature around the product, Weimer and his wife Arlene said they continued to improve their product because they cared about helping people, which inspired their tagline "wear them for the ones you love." 

In July 2021, Under-Tec announced on its website that after 20 years, it was closing its business for financial reasons, "Shark Tank" said in its blog. The message added that it would keep its customer service email and phone line open for people to reach out about remaining products and alternatives. "We appreciate your support and business over the years and we wish you health and well being," the announcement said in part. As of 2024, it appears the Under-Tec website has rebranded from an e-commerce space to a site that provides visitors with information about improving their underwear exeprience. It remains unclear whether the Weimers are involved or have engaged in any other business ventures.