Custom Comfort Bets on Vegas

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

Santa Anna, Calif. — —

Santa Anna, Calif. — 100% Pure Inc./Custom Comfort is placing its bets on Vegas – and closing down its New York showroom after 15 years.

The move was prompted by the diminishing attendance by the company’s customer base of boutique and private label customers, due to changed market dates and the time gap that now exists between the New York textile events and the New York gift venue, according to co-ceo Jonathan Alkin.

“As the industry has changed, and we have evolved into a supplier of better goods, and more custom product, we have also seen our business occur not through traditional regional market showcases, but rather by sitting face to face across a table with clients empowered o make decisions,” he said.

Going forward, the Las Vegas Market each January and July will become the company’s trade show venue. In July, Custom Comfort will make its debut as part of the Interior Lifestyle USA exhibit of home textiles and accent suppliers at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The company also has showrooms representing its products in Dallas (Gabler & Associates), the Atlanta Mart and High Point (Mosso & Assoc. for both), as well as rep organizations in the Northwest (Montrose Entiprises) and a showroom in Colorado (The Gabler Group)

In terms of the New York Home Textiles Market, Custom Comfort will probably take a temporary space during the February 2007 market, but does not plan to participate in August 2006, Alkin said.

“I would like to believe that after 19 years, our customers know what we do, and are more interested in just seeing great product, pricing and deliveries from us than a great showroom that only opens up for two weeks a year,” he added.

Between shows, Custom Comfort will visit key account headquarters several times each year or fly customers to its California design studio and offices, he added.

Operating one of the few cut-and-sew operations left in the United States, Custom Comfort targets retailers looking for private label and smaller, exclusive fashion runs with an emphasis on quality and service, he said. The company views its ability to provide clients with prototype product in a matter of days as another key strength.