Verdane takes a seat in the sofa of Verdane VIII portfolio company Bemz

“I knew nothing about textiles and sewing when I started Bemz,” says Lesley. “But when I wanted to exchange the cover for my IKEA sofa and realized that there was no such offering available in the market, my idea was born. I figured I could not be the only one who had this need and the market for IKEA sofa covers had to be huge. ”

Bemz has grown organically and reached a turnover of 5,4 million Euros in 2014 with 20 employees. Today the company sells online to 35 countries with the main markets in Sweden, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Bemz offers covers for more than 150 different IKEA sofa models and most models are available in more than 250 different fabrics. The fabrics are exclusively natural materials of very high quality and they are all machine washable. In addition to sofa covers, Bemz also offers curtains and bed fabrics.

All original Bemz patterns are created by Katarina Wiklund and they also partner with renowned design firms like Designers Guild, Marimekko, up-and-coming design companies like Littlephant and renowned classic designers such as Stig Lindberg. In 2009 Bemz opened a store at Odengatan 22 in Stockholm, however the majority of sales take place online at www.bemz.com.

Bemz celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and Lesley now wants to increase the pace of expansion, which is why she is bringing in an external investor.

“We see huge opportunities in the European market, particularly in Germany, which has now overtaken Sweden as IKEA’s largest market. But we need more marketing funding to reach out. In addition, we want to develop our potential in the United States, where interest is huge. We are very pleased to have Verdane Capital VIII as our new owner. In addition to capital, they bring a deep knowledge of e-commerce from investments in more than 30 e-commerce companies, “she says.

The Bemz commitment to the environment runs deep, with a business concept based on extending the life of IKEA furniture. The Bemz business model limits waste and strain on resources by only producing what customers have ordered and all manufacturing takes place in its largest market, Europe, thereby reducing the environmental impact of shipping.

“We think Bemz is a very exciting company with an innovative and modern business idea for a large global market. Bemz offers something customers want today: an opportunity to create a personal look in your home by renewing your existing furniture rather than throwing them out and buying new ones. That mindset is very timely today, “says Bjorn Beckman, Verdane Capital Advisors.