Jen Perry founded Jelt as a social enterprise with the motto of putting people and the planet over profit. She set out to make a high-quality, sustainable belt that everyone would need, manufactured in a way that empowers underserved women, and with a mission to support charitable organizations. “I actually launched it in February 2014 in this quaint little office downtown,” Jen said. “I was a busy working mother and business owner, and I discovered a need for a functional belt to keep my jeans from sagging and my kids from cringing.” What started out as a necessity quickly evolved into much more, and Jelt went from being a comfortable, flat belt to wear with jeans to the perfect belt for hiking, biking, skiing, golfing, traveling and everyday fashion.
“I wanted to make sure Jelt would stand out from any other belts on the market,” Jen said. “Not only is it modern-retro, with a nod to 80’s fashion, but it also has a patent-pending buckle design that won’t show a bulge under fitted shirts and an inner gel that grips to pants. The fact that there are no metal parts means it is great for traveling and can be worn through security checkpoints. What a bonus!”
Jelt belts are 100% vegan and are designed for maximum durability and strength, while lowering your carbon footprint. Jelt is a certified B Corporation and a certified woman-owned business. They are also a partner of 1% for The Planet which represents a global network of businesses, individuals and environmental partners tackling the planet’s most pressing environmental issues. Jelt is committed to donating 1% of the profits to organizations that are also certified by 1% of the Planet and are powerhouses to protect, nurture, and clean up Mother Earth.
Jen says her favorite thing about Jelt is the partnerships she has created with her team, the store buyers, social media influencers, and collaborators. “Recently, we collaborated with Big Sky Ski Patrol to make custom Jelt Venture belts with their logo,” Jen said. “They purchased 200 Big Sky Ski Patrol Jelt Belts for their entire team! It’s wonderful to know that I am helping to "keep the pants on" some amazing, athletic humans who are rescuing injured skiers every day. And it’s not just about winter fashion,” Jen said. “We also have the Festival Jelt and the Daisy Jelt which are the newest, rowdiest styles and fun for summer festivals or just hiking up to the M.”
To check out the belts, hats, shirts, and swag you can visit jeltbelt.com or Amazon.com. There are also several brick-and-mortar stores in Bozeman which carry Jelt belts including Girls Outdoors, Chalet Sports, Montana T-shirt Company, and Price Rite.
Jen says she started Jelt because she wanted to show her kids you can make a difference in the world and there is more to life than doing things for yourself and making money. “But now, “I am saving the world one belt at a time and Jelt is just the beginning!”
