Thirteen years ago, Craig Rubin’s vision
for a new type of fabric was just an
idea. Today, it is the basis for Crypton Super Fabrics, a growing company that
licenses, brands and manufactures a fabric
that is resistant to stains, liquids, mold,
mildew, bacteria and odors.
After 30 years in the
textile market in
sales and management, Rubin was
golfing when someone mentioned vinyl
coatings used in
upholstery to make it
moisture resistant.
He envisioned an attractive, breathable,
moisture-resistant fabric that could be
used specifically in the health care and hospitality markets, and set about creating it.
The first efforts of Rubin and his wife,
Randy, failed when the material melted at
the high temperatures necessary to create
a barrier. Additional research turned up a
higher-heat polymer, and a manufacturer
successfully created the first sample.
In its first several years, the company
licensed and branded the fabric. But five
years ago, Crypton Super Fabrics was faced
with a choice: either dramatically change its
business model to manufacture the product
itself, or risk losing market share. It chose the
former, and within three months, Crypton
had built a 115-square-foot manufacturing
facility in North Carolina and changed its
model to be a licensing, branding and manufacturing company.
Today, the plant operates 24 hours a day,
producing more than 15,000 different
Crypton patterns. And unlike most fabric
companies in the United States, it is experiencing double-digit growth.
Rubin plans to continue that growth and
is expanding its offerings to include the car
cover business and pet products, the result
of listening to the company’s core audience
to branch out to new markets.
HOW TO REACH: Crypton Super Fabrics, (248) 432-5700 or
www.cryptonfabric.com