Meet Rachel and Henry, Founders of Comfort Works

We're all too familiar with the urge to refresh our spaces without buying an entirely new piece of furniture. Rachel and Henry, founders of Comfort Works have personally experienced this desire, just like us. They've created a line of durable and resistant slipcovers to encourage a more sustainable way to change up your living space (it's a bonus that they look really good too).

We had a chance to catch up with Rachel and Henry and hear more about their driving force behind founding Comfort Works. Learn more about them, their ambitious goals for Comfort Works, and the exciting plans they have in store for the future!

Hi, Rachel and Henry!

Hello, and thank you for having us! Henry and I are thrilled to share our journey with Comfort Works.

Are you two big DIY-ers? Had you tackled other furniture projects before this one, or was it more of an ah-ha moment?

I have to admit that even before Comfort Works, I used to take on side projects involving small interior design endeavors; I had a penchant for thrifting old furniture. Poor Henry, he’d end up driving me to various thrift shops or helping me collect broken furniture from Gumtree or eBay.

Henry was always tinkering with his motorbikes and fixing or upgrading things around the house. The real inspiration for Comfort Works, however, came from a particularly old, scratched-up IKEA sofa.

Intending to ‘fix’ the issue, we decided to take matters into our own hands and make a slipcover. With YouTube tutorials and a second-hand sewing machine, we embarked on a creative journey that would eventually lead to the birth of Comfort Works. It truly was an "ah-ha" moment, sparked by the desire to address a common household issue in a unique (read: affordable) and imaginative way.

What were your professional backgrounds before this? Would you ever have expected to be running a company like this?

Before Comfort Works, our professional backgrounds took different paths. Fresh out of university, I had just earned a degree in architecture and business psychology while Henry was launching his career in marketing. Right from the start, we strategically divided our roles – I focused on product design and development, while Henry assumed responsibility for sales and finance.

Running a company of this nature was far from our initial expectations, but the challenges we encountered during those early years molded us into the entrepreneurs we are today. We are very grateful for where our journey has brought us.

Tell us about your sustainability beliefs and why they’re important.

I believe everyone has that grandparent, mom, or aunt who would tell us, “Let’s not waste.” From a young age, we rejected the throw-away culture. We believe that the sofa is not just a piece of furniture, and it shouldn’t just be for show – it’s a central piece in the home, somewhere people come to gather and connect.

We wanted to design a product that would work for real homes with real people. Something that would help the hardest-working piece of furniture in the home work even harder and look great at the same time.

We believe that every sofa can not only be saved but totally transformed—this belief is summed up in our brand line, No Sofa Left Behind. By giving new life to existing items, we contribute to a more sustainable and mindful way of living. Sometimes, all it needs is a bit of love and care to regain its place in our homes.

We love the variety of fabrics you offer in your slipcovers, particularly the claw-proof velvet collection. We’re curious if you had any pets that previously destroyed your sofas that may have led to this collection.

You know, when it comes to our fabrics, we've got a real soft spot for our furry friends. More than half of our team here at Comfort Works has pets, especially cats, running around at home. We totally get it—they leave their mark, right? 

In fact, it was when a cat destroyed our very first sofa that prompted Henry and I to create our very first slipcover from scratch, to give our beaten-up sofa a little bit of protection from the cat’s claws! These days, we look to innovative performance fabrics that can resist claws (as well as other things) and still look stylish at the same time. Performance fabrics that are accessible for all homes are a real passion of ours, and in the next few months, we’ve got plenty of very exciting fabric releases coming up.

Speaking of fabrics! We couldn’t help but notice the beautiful colors you offer. How did you land on your existing color palette, and do you plan to add more to the collection?

We curate our colour palette based on our ongoing conversations with you—our customers and our communities. We're all ears when it comes to what you like, and we love hearing your suggestions and feedback.

Also, since we're all about slipcovers, we figured, why not have some fun with them? Change things up based on the season, maybe match the vibe of a special occasion. We're totally open to experimenting and working with various designers in the future—because, hey, our homes are all unique, so why not make your sofa spark joy?

Is there another category of furniture you’d like to offer slipcovers for in the future?

Oh, absolutely! We're always thinking about how we can bring that Comfort Works touch to more areas of your home. 

In fact, we're currently collaborating with other brands to create slipcovers for pet beds, and we've got our eyes set on more pet-friendly collaborations in the near future. You know, making sure every member of the family gets their cozy spot.

We're also super excited about expanding our outdoor collection soon. Because why should the inside of your home have all the fun? We want to help you bring that Comfort Works charm to your outdoor spaces too, and we have a really exciting lineup of new fabric launches for later in the year that carry commercial-grade features like ultra durability and anti-colour fading.

How would you each describe your design styles? Are they similar or different? If the latter, how did you merge the two together?

When it comes to design styles, Henry and I are like any husband and wife trying to find that perfect balance—it's basically Nasa-level negotiations! We've got our unique approaches—the classic "I like this, you like that" scenario. But hey, the magic happens when we eventually bring those ideas together. 

People like to say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but we’d argue that the living room comes pretty close! Do you have any funny stories involving an old sofa in your home?

Our living room has witnessed some hilarious moments, especially when our little ones decide that our sofas are their personal jungle gym. Because of work, at any given moment we’d have a few sofas in the living room. Cushions become stepping stones, armrests into mountains, as they pretend the floor is lava. While people say the kitchen is the heart of the home, our living room has its own beat—a rhythm of laughter and playful chaos.

And I won't name names, but a certain adult decided on more than one occasion to join in their acrobatics. Needless to say, we have stress-tested many of our slipcovers in this manner, and we highly recommend that you do, too. In the same vein, we’ve also established our own in-house testing arm, Comfort Lab, where we undertake lab and user testing on all our products to make sure they can withstand the stresses of daily life.

At Spoak, we believe in Thingology: the study of what things look like, the people that make them, and where to find them. What design-related things are you crushing on lately?

Lately, our design crushes have been all about that perfect blend—you know, things that rock that old-but-new charm, effortlessly balancing modern vibes with a touch of rustic coolness. We're swooning over pieces that evoke nostalgia yet remain timeless at the same time. It's that magic combo that brings a sense of the past into the present, creating design symphony that resonates with memory and modernity.

What advice would you give someone frustrated with their existing furniture at home but not in the market to buy new?

Most of us don't have the budget to change our spaces from year to year, but if you look for a broader understanding of the shifting design landscape and incorporate personal elements into your space, you can stay fresh and updated without being “trendy.”

I would encourage you to explore upcycling or thrifting where possible, purchasing things while traveling, and even starting a project making your own furniture with your loved ones. Our homes should reflect our individuality, connection, and personality rather than be a showroom showcasing the latest trends. Furniture with a story is highly personal and has the potential to one day have the same legacy as Grandma’s favorite chair. 

What can we expect from Comfort Works in 2024?

In 2024, Comfort Works is gearing up for some exciting developments! We're placing a strong emphasis on innovation and customer satisfaction. Stay tuned for our launch of advanced performance fabrics, enhanced durability, easy maintenance, and a collection of stylish and functional pet-friendly solutions.