Ryan Doherty and Zach Hines launched their company, Ripclear, in 2014. Little did they know their innovation would serve as a salvation for humanity only six short years later. And, while the pair originally set out to find a solution that saved expensive goggles from scratches, their effort has taken on a much larger social mission.

From its onset, Ripclear was revolutionizing products. The first hurdle that needed to be addressed was the development of a plastic that could fit on all surfaces while remaining optically clear. Co-founders Doherty and Hines quickly realized they would have to create the plastic from the ground up. After exploring many options, they finally found a design that would work for their product line.

Doherty and Hines started marketing their products at trade shows and received an overwhelming response. It was there that they first understood the full scope of the need for protection where optics and devices were concerned. It was seven years later amid a global pandemic that they realized the dramatic impact their fledgling company could have on society.