Now that summer is over, it’s time to break out our favorite quilted coats and leather jackets for fall. As a college girl, it’s no coincidence that several people have the same jacket as you. It’s also no surprise that our coats aren’t meant for the rain or meant to get dirty. Odds are your coat or leather jacket is dry clean only; who wants to pay for that? UPenn students Caroline Callé and Melissa Greenblatt came up with a solution to solve this problem; they designed the FRACKIT.
So what is a FRACKIT? The FRACKIT is a unisex, black quilted jacket. The material is water resistant and it has a hood, so if you get caught in the rain or snow, no need to fear. It also has an identification patch on the inside. If you lose your FRACKIT, someone can look at the patch, see your name, and be able to return it to you. There are two pockets on the front, which conveniently can hold your phone or school ID. So what’s the best part about this jacket? It’s machine washable. No need to fear about stains and dirt; they’ll come right out in the wash. The jacket is also very trendy due to its black quilted design. It will keep you warm when the temperature drops at night, but you can also wear it to class. If you’re in need of a warm, fashionable, easy-to-clean, and water resistant jacket, you might want to invest in a FRACKIT.
I got in touch with the designers of the FRACKIT and asked them a few questions about their brainchild. Here’s what you need to know:
How did you come up with the idea of the FRACKIT?
We both had heard of the term “fracket” before, in regard to a cheap jacket worn to parties that you wouldn’t mind if you lost or got ruined. Going out at Penn, we both have lost multiple jackets that were unfortunately not so cheap…sometimes we decided to brave the cold and forgo our jackets when we went out. Finally we decided this needed to end, so we decided to design an affordable but also attractive jacket to wear out. Since Caroline has been sewing for a while, she designed the original prototype. After three prototypes, we sent it to a manufacturer who was able to make the final prototype and start producing it.
2) What is your favorite part about the FRACKIT?
We love the customization patch on the interior side of the jacket so people can tell it apart. Also the fact that it is washable and water-proof are great parts about the jacket, just in case they get dirty going out!
3) Why should college students purchase a FRACKIT?
FRACKIT is a company that is designed to provide college kids with essentially everything they need to go out. Our first product is the “Frackit”, a jacket designed strategically to wear out to parties, bars or wherever you generally go. Priced at $45 we felt that it was a price point that if you were to lose it when you were out or if you got anything spilled on the jacket it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Caroline and Melissa recently launched their FRACKIT company on September 20th. The jacket can be ordered on the website: thefrackit.com. I can honestly say that I wear this jacket all the time. It’s well worth the money and I never leave my dorm without it!
Photo Courtesy FRACKIT