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Accessories with a Heart

The superbly crafted throw pillows, shams, and bed throws in the “For My Sister” line not only add beauty to most living spaces, but a portion of the profits benefits cancer research.

Growing up, sisters Shari and Reenie Bender were well aware of quality hand-craftsmanship, particularly in knitted textiles. “My sister and I come from a long line of hand-knitters and crafters who have accomplished everything from needlepoint to crochet to two-needle knitting to quilting. The tradition started way back in Italy before my mother was even born,” Shari Bender explains.
          In fact, Bender’s mother started her own knit business 18 years ago in Shari’s old bedroom. “Little did we know then the legacy that my mother would be passing on to my sister and me,” Shari states.
          But that legacy wasn’t as readily apparent as it might seem. At first, Shari explored other career options – including a stint as a marketing manager for a high-tech firm and as a recording artist at Warner Bros. – while her mother and sister produced hand-loomed clothing at the family’s Los Angeles factory.
          It was actually tragedy that brought Shari back to the family textile business. “When my sister Reenie was diagnosed with a form of skin cancer in March 1999, I wanted to take an active role in her treatment and recovery,” Shari comments. “It seemed natural to combine a talent that comes as second nature to helping her fight this pervasive disease, which in the U.S. alone affects 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women.” Utilizing the hand-loomers and equipment available at the factory where her family produces its apparel line, Shari founded her own knitted textile business centered on home accessories such as pillows, throws, and table runners. Shari called her business “For My Sister” and donates 5 percent of the net profit to the American Cancer Society.
          “I created this business in a loving spirit. It is so much more than just a pillow and throw company with a focus on Old World hand-crafting; it is a philosophy of life,” Shari states. “It is about feeling positive and feeling empowered. It is about living passionately and fully and to know that even in our darkest hour, we have the power to inspire others.”
          The For My Sister product line features throw pillows, shams, and bed throws that are hand-loomed from 100 percent rayon chenille yarn imported from Italy. “My mother’s level of perfectionism and quality in her work remain in my estimation unparalleled in hand-loomed knits,” Shari says. And that commitment to quality is pervasive throughout the For My Sister line. “Each piece is done by one knitter, one piece at a time in our family factory in Los Angeles. Each piece is then inspected at each phase of its construction. Color, tension, and craftsmanship are all looked over thoroughly,” Shari adds. “Each loose end is hand-stitched and crocheted into every seam. There is no overlocking, and like the true sign of a good needlepoint artist, if you were to take one of our pieces and turn them inside out, you would see the mark of integrity and Old World craftsmanship in every piece.”
          Turnaround on re-orders is only about three weeks and the company is small enough to offer individual attention to each account yet large enough to produce orders in excess of 750 pieces a month. “The look of the line is unlike anything you’ve ever seen,” Shari explains. “We have taken traditional looming techniques and have blended them with a contemporary feel,” she notes. “Best of all, the line is not saturated in the marketplace and still remains very exclusive.”
          Even though the line might offer up-to-date looks, some of the graphics are rooted in history, datings back to 17th, 18th, and 19th century architectural elements such as hand-carved woodwork and ironwork. Changes in trim, color, and other custom touches are not a problem as each order can be easily accommodated.
          For My Sister uses Italian chenille, Fortuny yarns, 590 thread-count Egyptian cottons, silk velvets, and hand-crocheted decorative edgings and button holes. “We use only natural fabrics, invisible zippers, and hidden abalone or mother of pearl buttons so that even the unseen details have the same quality and integrity of construction and aesthetic appeal,” Shari states.
          Although Reenie was the initial inspiration for Shari, the company hopes to affect others in positive way. “Our company was developed with three specific purposes. We are dedicated to creating unique, luxurious products that enhance the home environment and nuture the user; to raise public awareness and funds to fight a disease that affects millions of lives; and to inspire and motivate other manufacturers to become actively involved with cause-related projects,” Shari explains. “Sadly, my sister Reenie lost her battle with cancer in February 2001. She fought with courage and dignity and I am so proud to have called her my sister.
          “This is so much more than just a company for my sister. It is for anyone who has ever had to battle this disease and for the families who have had to sit by [and watch it happen to a loved one]. It is for all of us,” Shari concludes. “As a company, my family wishes [retailers and end-consumers] an abundance of peace, health, and happiness, and a calmness in your spirit that will carry you through this world and make your experience here a little more enriched and a little more complete.”
          The company shows its line at the High Point home furnishings market in the Bausman & Company showroom; the factory is located in Studio City, California.