Sunday, November 8, 2009
Lesley Pennington figured she was typical of many people when she bought an inexpensive Ikea sofa, even though the slipcover was less than charming.
Coming from the computer industry, where there are "feeder" companies that supply parts and accessories for products, she wondered who was making slipcovers for Ikea's sofas.
It wasn't long before it was Pennington. In 2005, the Canadian-born former Apple software evangelist started Bemz, an online source for made-to-order slipcovers for Ikea sofas and chairs.
Now living in Sweden, she supervises a team of designers and the printing of textiles that arrive from all over the world. Each slipcover is then sewn to order in Lithuania.
Bemz recently joined with Finnish fabrics company Marimekko to offer 11 patterns in addition to its three cotton lines and a Belgian blended cotton and linen line. Prices start at $95 for a plain white cotton cover for Ikea's popular two-seater Klippan sofa and run to $500 for a Marimekko or cotton linen blend cover for a three-seat sofa.
The covers are made for about 80 models, even some that have been discontinued and new models are added all the time, Pennington said. To avoid spending extra, customers who plan to order a Bemz slipcover can elect to order their Ikea sofa without its slipcover.
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