MIDLAND — On a Fourth of July weekend two years ago, Midland resident Jake Howison felt itchy and uncomfortable after hours of water wakeboarding and boating.

“I asked my friends what they wore under their shorts while wakeboarding. Some said boxers, cotton briefs, Under Armour — but there wasn’t that silver bullet,” said Howison, 24. “Plus, I didn’t want anything showing while on the water, I wanted to be decent.”

So the 2005 Midland High School alumnus developed a new product called Helo Undershorts for wakeboarders and other athletes.

He’s sold about 200 Helo shorts at $29 a pair around the world since January, including an order to Finland. Howison hopes to sell more as the warm weather picks up.

Howison, a 2009 Michigan State University graduate with a degree in marketing management, began his venture by contacting fellow wakeboarders and researching blogs, but no one had a definitive answer to what to wear underneath boardshorts.

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He went to social media sites such as LinkedIn, a professional social network with more than 100 million members, and posted to fashion and textile message boards asking people what material he should look at for his business.

“I started receiving fabric samples, and then tested them to see how fast they could dry, how durable it was and if it felt comfortable,” said Howison. “I wanted it to be breezy and have some modesty.”

Howison settled on a material called Polyethylene terephthalate, which is a combination of spandex materials and 79 percent recycled water bottles. It’s a four-way stretch material that moves with a person’s body.

Using LinkedIn, Howison decided to have Los Angeles-based Royal Apparels manufacture the black undershorts that feature lightly etched artwork down the leg, designed by Howison.

Patrick Richter, 25, is an information technology salesman from Chicago. He learned about Helo through a mutual friend of Howison’s. He said he likes the material used in the shorts better than the Nike compression short he previously wore.

“I use them every time I go to the gym because I think they’re a great multipurpose undershort,” said Richter. “It’s a really comfortable fit and good experience while using them, especially if you’re sweating a lot.”

Howison said he isn’t sure how big his company will grow, but hopefully will see impact this summer. His product is scheduled to be featured at the American Windsurfing Tour this week in Santa Cruz, Calif.

“For any aspiring entrepreneurs, I would say creating your own business isn’t easy, but it is entirely possible,” said Howison. “Make sure to follow your passion, have a solid business plan and ask for help when it’s available.”