Illinois Store Named Among America’s Most Disruptive Small Businesses

No worries, it's objectively a good 'disruptive'.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has selected their top 100 small businesses and specifically, honoring a few as 'Disruptors'. That includes one inclusive clothing company in Northbrook, Illinois.

Joe & Bella is a small business that focuses on adaptive clothing for people with disabilities and older adults.

The U.S. Chamber selected the top 100 businesses out of about 12,000 applicants. The selection focused on categories including growth, innovation, and the business' commitment to customers. Joe & Bella is the only Illinois-based recipient.

Joe & Bella was selected as a CoCreate 2025 winner, which was chosen by "Shark Tank" investors Daymond John and Lori Greiner.

Jimmy Zollo, CEO and co-founder of Joe & Bella, began the company after his fashion-forward grandmother could not find any adaptive clothing that wasn't ugly by her standards, and the clothes looked more like a patient than a person.

The goal was to keep the adaptability of the clothes but give them a more mainstream fashion look. The company had the guidance of a former Lululemon designer and has had the input of designers from Juicy Couture and Kenneth Cole. Their website can be shopped by need, which includes 15 different disability categories to shop, ranging from amputee to sensitive skin.

Joe & Bella's clothing options include magnetic shirts and coats and cardigans, side-zip pants, compression and gripper socks, and styles ranging from more formal wear to sleepsets.

You can see the full list of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Disruptor Businesses at this link.