Whatever Happened To Drainwig Hair Catcher For Shower Drains After Shark Tank Season 9?

Drainwig, which was invented by Gifford and Jennifer Briggs, appeared on Season 9 Episode 6 of "Shark Tank." The husband and wife team presented the Sharks with their hair-catching product that saves you from having to snake your drain or touch slimy globs of hair. The disposable Drainwig chain rests inside the drain, and after a few months, you can pull it out and throw it away, preventing clogs. The Briggs couple was inspired by their five daughters to create a solution to constantly clogged shower drains.

The company had already begun selling the Drainwig in big box stores like Walmart and Bed Bath and Beyond. While their product made $14.2 million in retail sales, the founders only received $800,000 in royalties due to a bad deal with an infomercial company. They hoped the Sharks could help them get their business back. "Our goal is to take this product, form a company, and take it to market and start making the money ourselves," Gifford Briggs told the Sharks.

The Briggs couple went into the tank seeking $300,000 for 5% of their company. With the help of their daughters, they demonstrated how the Drainwig hangs down the shower drain to catch fallen hair. "Cleaning the shower drain can be a major source of contention in the home because it is a dirty, disgusting job that nobody wants to do," Gifford Briggs told the Sharks as he jokingly pointed at his daughters.

While the Sharks were skeptical about the company's proposed deal, it began to make sense once the Briggs family explained their large profit margins and sales, but getting them out of their infomercial deal and rebranding would take a lot of work. This caused Mark Cuban to go out, but Kevin O'Leary thought he may be the solution to the couple's problems. "You're going to need a really nasty friend, and I happen to be that person," O'Leary told the founders. Though Lori Greiner and Daymond John also offered deals, Drainwig settled with O'Leary, receiving $300K for 15% equity.

Like most products that appear on "Shark Tank," Drainwig saw a dramatic increase in sales after their episode aired. Gifford and Jennifer Briggs' deal with Kevin O'Leary also proved to be beneficial for the small business. On her LinkedIn page, Jennifer Briggs wrote, "We were fortunate enough to land a deal with Kevin O'Leary, re-licensed the DrainWig for inline retail distribution to Evriholder Anaheim, CA and sales have since skyrocketed."

Kevin O'Leary did more than just fund the Briggs and help them get out of their infomercial deal. On Facebook, O'Leary posted a video promoting Drainwig's product while joking about his bald head, and on the day the episode aired he posted throwback photos of when he had hair on Twitter. Though Drainwig didn't receive the deal they initially sought, their partnership with O'Leary has helped them to continue growing their business and regaining control of their company.

Though the company hasn't posted on Facebook since February of 2020 and only has one Instagram post from 2019, they seem to be actively selling their product on Amazon as well as their website. It is unclear which retail stores carry the Drainwig, but it seems to be currently available on The Container Store's website. Drainwig's website is somewhat contradictory, as part of it states that the Drainwig is available at Walmart, while their homepage warns customers about counterfeit products from Walmart.com and Amazon.

Drainwig has also developed new designs for the holder that keep the chain in place. While their original flower design is still on the market, they also sell seashell and seahorse-shaped holders, as well as a hidden version that sits inside the drain of your bathtub. Though there's not a lot of news about what the company has been doing since its appearance on the show, Drainwig seems to be thriving.

Before going on "Shark Tank," Drainwig was already successful. The product was a part of the Oscars' gift bag in 2014 and appeared on The Today Show, but there is not much information about what Drainwig is doing now. It is unclear if the Briggs family plans to develop more products or if their relationship with O'Leary is still active. According to his LinkedIn page, Gifford Briggs is currently the President of Operations and a partner of CTI Construction in Ogden, Utah, though it also shows him as still being active with Drainwig. Jennifer Briggs' LinkedIn lists her as the co-founder of Drainwig, but she has not made a post in the last five years.

Gifford and Jennifer Briggs brought their idea to life, making the chore of cleaning your drain easier. Though it's unknown what the next steps are for Drainwig, the product has seen success both before and after meeting with the Sharks.