COM Fabrication: What Designers Need to Know About Customer's Own Material
COM, or Customer's Own Material, is the standard fabric sourcing model for trade orders at Roseworks Fabrication. Designers select and purchase fabric from their preferred suppliers, then ship it to our Westminster workroom for fabrication. This gives you full control over material specification while leveraging our construction expertise.
Working with COM is straightforward, but there are details that affect production efficiency and timeline. This guide covers everything from shipping logistics to common pitfalls.
How COM Works at Roseworks
- You select and purchase fabric from your supplier or through a to-the-trade showroom.
- Ship directly to our workroom at 12170 Tejon St #300, Westminster, CO 80234. Include your name, order number (if you have one), and project reference on the shipping label.
- We inspect upon arrival. We confirm yardage, check for flaws or damage, and verify the fabric matches your specification.
- We contact you if there are any issues before proceeding with production. If everything checks out, fabrication begins according to your confirmed timeline.
Yardage Calculations
If you prefer to calculate your own yardage, include the calculation with your order. If you would rather have us calculate based on finished dimensions, pleat style, and fullness, we are happy to do that at the specification stage.
Key factors that affect yardage:
- Finished panel width and length
- Fullness multiplier (2x, 2.5x, 3x)
- Pattern repeat (horizontal and vertical)
- Lining and interlining requirements
- Seam allowances and hems
Over-ordering by 10-15% is standard practice to account for pattern matching, cutting waste, and any flaws discovered during inspection. Running short on fabric mid-production is the single most common cause of timeline delays.
Common COM Issues
Insufficient yardage. This is the number one issue. If we run short, production stops until additional fabric arrives. For fabrics with long lead times, this can add weeks to your project.
Fabric damage in transit. We inspect every bolt upon arrival. If we find damage, we document it immediately and contact you. Shipping insurance on COM is always recommended.
Pattern repeat not accounted for. Large pattern repeats require significantly more yardage than solid fabrics. Make sure your yardage calculation accounts for the repeat.
Fabric not suitable for the application. Occasionally we receive fabric that is too lightweight for the specified pleat style or too stiff for the intended drape. We will flag this before production so you can adjust the specification or swap the fabric.
Shipping Details
Ship COM to:
Roseworks Fabrication
Attn: [Your Name / Project Name]
12170 Tejon St #300
Westminster, CO 80234
Include a packing slip or note with: your name, email, phone, project name, and a brief description of what the fabric is for (e.g., "Living room drapery panels, 4 panels").
Getting Started
Ready to submit a COM order? Contact our workroom with your project specifications or use our drapery order form.
For a complete overview of the fabrication process, see: The Complete Guide to Custom Drapery Fabrication.
Related: How to Specify Custom Drapery for Your Client's Project
