Tag: COM and COL Fabric Applications

What Does COM Mean in Furniture? Customer Owned Material and Leather Explained

Customer owned material (COM) means you supply the fabric and the manufacturer upholsters your piece with it. You need it when the fabric has been chosen from outside the manufacturer’s own library, usually a specific cloth a designer has sourced.

Valdese Autograph Collection

Look for an upholstery weight of at least 8 to 10 ounces, a double rub count of 15,000 to 25,000 for residential use or 100,000 for commercial, and a backing. At minimum, ask for a kiss coat, which keeps the cloth in shape and prevents seam slippage. Patterned fabric needs more yardage too: a repeat of 2 to 14 inches adds roughly 10 percent, and a repeat of 28 to 36 inches adds about 30 percent. Have the sample approved by the upholstery factory before ordering, and have your supplier send tracking, since about 30 percent of Nathan Anthony orders involve COM.

Optima Leather

Customer owned leather (COL) works the same way but is more involved and often costlier. Leather is sold in whole hides averaging 45 to 50 square feet with irregular usable areas, and manufacturers often request extra hides after inspection, so order about double your estimate for vertical or heavily cut work. Ask us how COM and COL can be specified for a one-of-a-kind look, and how each affects warranty coverage before you commit.

If you every have any questions about our products, please reach out to our Custom Design Concierge team Get in touch.

Let’s stay connected! Find us on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and Pinterest, and check out our latest videos on YouTube. Or follow the hashtags #nathananthony, #nathananthonyfurniture and #upholsteryart. We’d love to engage with you online!

Bringing Designer Ideas to Life

At Nathan Anthony, we welcome designer inputs. Our customization capabilities and skilled craftspeople bring each upholstered furniture vision to life—adjusting dimensions, comfort options and accents to suit any space or client need.

dining strata
Living room by Interiors by Steven G featuring a custom fabric application and wood sample match on our dining chairs

That’s why we’ve made customization a core part of our process. From altering frame sizes to choosing cushion fills, applying COM or COL, and even matching finishes to paint samples, we’re equipped to handle the details that matter most. It’s this level of flexibility that allows designers to leave their mark on a project and create something truly personal for their clients.

strata dining
Living room by Interiors by Steven G featuring a custom fabric application and wood sample match on our dining chairs

But good ideas require solid execution, and our headquarters in Los Angeles gives us access to some of the most talented artisans in the industry. With a deep understanding of upholstery forms, tailoring and finishing techniques, many on our team have honed their skills and expertise over decades.

origami furniture
Living room by Interiors by Dees featuring a custom fabric application on our Origami poufs and our Embrace swivel chair
by robyn blair
Work space by Cara Woodhouse Interiors featuring a custom fabric application on our swivel chairs for artist by Robyn Blair
design firm
Living room by Design House Texas featuring a custom fabric application and finishes on our furniture pieces

If you’re ready to explore what customization can do for your projects, we’ve created a free resource filled with ideas, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes tips from our team. Elevate Interior Design Projects with Customized Upholstery is designed to help you think creatively and strategically about tailoring furniture to your spaces. To receive your copy, reach out to our Custom Design Concierge Team. They’ll not only send you the e-book, but can also walk you through any questions you have about custom sizing, COM/COL, finishes, or modifications for your current projects. We’re here to make your vision possible, one detail at a time.

Tina Nicole

Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer

Nathan Anthony Furniture, Los Angeles

P.S. Let’s stay connected! Find us on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and Pinterest, and check out our latest videos on YouTube. Or follow the hashtags #nathananthony, #nathananthonyfurniture and #upholsteryart. We’d love to engage with you online!