NoSo: the DIY, fabric patch to repair your down jacket, tent

When Kelli Jones got a new puffy down jacket in the mail, she immediately put it on to go hunting. A few miles in, she hopped a barb wired fence and heard the dreaded sound of her brand new jacket tearing.

She didn’t want to repair the hole with duct tape, so she sought out fabric to make her own patch. And, in doing so, had an “ah ha” moment. Why not make fabric patches in unique shapes that easily stick to jackets, sleeping bags and tents?

“It’s one of those ideas that kept me up in the middle of the night,” she said. “I just got to do it, I just got to get it out there.”

Fast forward three years. Kelli waded her way through fabric sourcing, manufacturing, creating packaging – all while working full-time as an accountant – and just last week launched NoSo Patches on Indiegogo.

NoSo Patches are made of 1.2 denier, commonly referred to as ripstop nylon. The adhesive on them is heat activated. Just clean your down jacket, apply the patch, throw it in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes and wala, it's ready to go.

Most fun of all, the patches are offered in 13 different shapes and six different colors, including reflective patches.

Kelli said the fabric on the patches moves with you, preventing a stiff feel, and the edges won’t gum on the side like tape.

Kelli’s three favorite patch designs are the star, heart and diamond. She said the skull and crossbones is also quite popular.

One of the packets of patches, called the Wyo Packet, includes a rectangle so you can cut out your own shape. Kelli’s boyfriend, for example, used one to make a lightning bolt.

Beyond the patches' practical applications, ie repairing a tear or rip in a down jacket, many people use NoSo patches just to add some style to their wardrobe and express themselves.

In Jackson, Wyoming, where Kelli lives, people wear puffy coats nine months out of the year.

“Everyone looks the same, which is boring,” Kelli said. “I’m bringing some flair to the world.”

Kelli’s background is in art therapy, working with children with intellectual disabilities. She loved her families, but got burned out on all the scheduling.

So when she got the opportunity to work at an accounting firm she took it. She worked her way from admin to accountant, and now, seven years later, runs her own accounting business.

Accounting engages the left side of her brain and NoSo Patches engages the right, she said, adding that her new business venture is “way more creative and fun.”