Home Improvement Tailored to Women

By Margareth Montenegro

Manufacturers are cashing in on the buying power of women in the home improvement industry by designing tools or entire style lines of products that appeal to "handywomen." Women are the largest group consumers to purchase materials for the home, buying products to make their homes decorative as well as the necessary tools needed to handle home improvement projects.

According to a recent survey by the Home Improvement Research Institute, the number of home improvement products purchased by women have increased over the years. Women account for more than $70 billion worth of purchases in the home improvement industry, up from just over $55 billion in 1995. This rising trend is due to women owning their own homes and tackling their own home repair projects. Industry research shows that single women are purchasing new homes at twice the rate of single men, and within the first year of home ownership, women spend almost $9,000 on home improvement projects. Contributing to the growing trend of women purchasing tools are home improvement shows and hardware stores.

With the help of home improvement shows featuring women carpenters and designers, women become informed about the type of tools needed for specific home improvement projects and how to use them. Programs like Discovery Home Channel's "ToolBelt Diva" with Norma Vally shows what tools are a must-have for a handywoman:

• 16 oz. curve claw hammer with a smooth head. This all-purpose hammer is not too heavy on a woman's wrist, but heavy enough so a woman won't be "under-gunned."
• 25-foot tape measure. Its width allows the numbers to be read easily, and it doesn't bend when pulled out past a few feet.
• 10-inch tongue-and-groove pliers. This tool "easily controls" plumbing fittings and nuts.
• Retractable utility knife with blade storage in the handle. This tool is used for cutting everything from vinyl tiles to drywall. The blade is easy to replace and stores conveniently in the handle for safety.
• Ratcheting screwdriver with multiple bits. The multiple bits change out easily, depending on if a small or large Phillips or a slotted head is needed. The ratcheting action allows you to keep a steady pressure on the head of the screw while simply twisting the handle in place.

Home improvement stores like Lowe's and Home Depot are also getting in on the action by catering workshops to women. These workshops demonstrate what materials and tools are needed for how-to projects. Television programs and workshops help women become more knowledgeable about tools so they know what items to purchase.

When women go shopping for a tool, they seek tools that make them feel independent and empowered. They want tools that are easy to handle, yet reliable for simple projects like painting, or complex projects like rewiring a ceiling fan. Many manufacturers involved in the home improvement industry are offering products with women in mind, creating tools that are lightweight, have rubber grips, and are ergonomically designed without compromising the strength of the tool. Other manufacturers are offering products such as protective gear for women, to help them feel comfortable and safe as they work on their home repair projects.

Leading the tool market for women is Barbara Kavovit, otherwise known as Barbara K, the creator of barbara k! "Solutions For Women" and owner of Barbara K! Enterprises. Her tools are ergonomically designed with style, for the ultimate in home improvement tools for women. Her toolkits include extra features not found in average tools, such as a patented spring-loaded handle on the pliers and a built-in thumb rest in the screwdrivers. Although her tools are lightweight, Barbara K claims they are not light duty and will deliver the same work as your average tool. Since the first tool kit launching date in April 2003, Barbara K has expanded her line to a wide range of other DIY kits, including an 84-page simple how-to guide, power tools and apparel for the handywoman. Her tools are aimed at making women feel independent, inspired and empowered to do their own home improvement repairs.

With offices in the United States and Canada Tomboy Tools Inc. is a company put together by three women with one goal in mind: to teach and educate women to become confident and competent homeowners, do-it-yourselfers and good stewards of their most precious financial asset, their home. Tomboy Tools carries a line of hand tools, power tools, tool combo kits and specialty kits that are ergonomically designed, well-made, durable and stylish to fit into smaller hands. Tomboy Tools are not sold in stores, but are directly sold to the customers through "tool parties," in which home consultants educate women on how to do their own home improvement projects with their own Tomboy Tools.

Without alienating the male market, common name tool manufacturers such as Black & Decker, Makita and Ryobi are creating products with features that are attractive to women. Products like sanders, power drills and hammers are lightweight, compact and ergonomically designed to fit into smaller hands, and are easy to handle by the novice DIY-er.

Not only do women want tools they can use, but they also want safety gear that will fit them better, as well as provide comfort and protection. Before the rise of female do-it-yourselfers, safety gear that women wore did not fit properly, causing women to feel uncomfortable and not fully protected. Now manufacturers like AOSafety and Kimberly-Clark are tapping into women's buying power by creating a line of protective gear that women can wear as they perform their handywoman jobs.

AOSafety manufacturer of consumer personal safety products for lawn and garden, paint and sundry, racing, health and beauty, and do-it-yourself projects, is now manufacturing safety products designed specifically for women, the AOSafety Select line. AOSafety Select features eye, hearing and respiratory protection gear that is sleek, stylish and sized to meet the needs of women.

Catering to the head-to-toe protection of do-it-yourselfers is Kimberly-Clark. She offers a professional line of better-fitting, more comfortable products, including masks that are flexible and adjustable with breathable fabrics, gloves with a better fit and grip, and coveralls that allow the wearer to move easily and remain cool even when performing demanding tasks. Although their new Professional product line is unisex, women can feel protected and comfortable as they tackle home improvement jobs. Some items from the new Kimberly-Clark Professional Product Line include:

These manufacturers understand that the market for women's products in home improvement will continue to grow. Whether other manufaturers will start paying attention to women remains to be seen.

*Mathew Greenwald & Associates for Sears, Roebuck and Company, Release July 2004
*Roper ASW telephone survey for Home Depot, April 25-27, 2003.

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