Today we’d like to introduce you to Serge Soussan.
Hi Serge, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey began more than 20 years ago after my son, Luca, was born. He suffered from eczema and asthma, and I had difficulty finding a blanket that was truly soft, comfortable and gentle enough for his sensitive skin. That personal need inspired me to create and engineer the Minky Dot blanket using hypoallergenic materials.
I carefully selected the fabrics and developed the blanket’s construction and finishing details to make it exceptionally soft and comforting for babies and children with sensitive skin. I engineered it to be machine washable and remarkably durable, retaining its softness and quality through repeated washing throughout the life of the blanket. I completed the design with our signature 2½-inch satin border, giving the blanket its distinctive, luxurious appearance and feel. What began as a blanket created for my son ultimately became My Blankee.
Over the years, I expanded the collection to offer more than 30 colors and 10 blanket sizes, giving customers the ability to create something suited to every age, style and occasion. My Blankee has also grown to include throws, robes, hooded towels, personalized gifts and other beautifully coordinated products.
I built a vertically integrated manufacturing operation in Los Angeles, where we handle the cutting, sewing, embroidery, personalization and finishing ourselves. This allows me to oversee the quality of every product and offer extensive customization for each customer.
More than two decades later, My Blankee remains proudly made in the USA. We continue serving families, retailers and corporate clients with beautifully made products created with the same comfort, quality and care that inspired the company from the beginning.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not always been a smooth road. One of my greatest challenges has been maintaining a fully American-made product while competing with companies importing mass-produced blankets at much lower prices. Manufacturing in Los Angeles means higher labor, material and operating costs, but I have never wanted to compromise the quality, craftsmanship or personal attention that define My Blankee.
Building and managing an in-house manufacturing operation has also required tremendous commitment. I oversee everything—from sourcing fabrics and managing inventory to cutting, sewing, embroidery, personalization, packaging and customer service. Economic downturns, rising costs and supply-chain disruptions have all created challenges along the way.
Another major challenge has been sustaining the business online. The internet has changed dramatically since My Blankee began, and simply having a website is no longer enough. Search-engine algorithms, online advertising, social media, technology and the way customers shop are constantly changing. Maintaining the website, protecting our search visibility and competing against large companies with much larger advertising budgets have required continuous time, investment and adaptation.
I have had to continually learn new technology and find new ways to reach customers while also operating the manufacturing side of the business. Every challenge has made me more resourceful, resilient and hands-on. Despite the difficult periods, I continue moving forward because I believe in the product I created and in the comfort and lasting quality it provides to families.
As you know, we’re big fans of My Blankee Inc. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My Blankee Inc. is a Los Angeles-based manufacturer specializing in luxury personalized blankets and gifts for babies, children and adults. Our two most popular blanket collections are Minky Dot and Luxe Bella.
I created and engineered the original Minky Dot blanket to be hypoallergenic, machine washable, exceptionally durable and capable of retaining its softness throughout the life of the blanket. Our Luxe Bella collection provides an exceptionally soft, plush and luxurious feel for babies, children and adults.
Our signature blankets are available with either a 2½-inch flat satin border or a 2½-inch ruffled satin border. The satin edging gives each blanket its recognizable My Blankee appearance while adding a beautiful, luxurious finishing touch.
Our blankets are offered in more than 30 colors and 10 sizes, ranging from small security blankets to full-size adult throws. They can also be personalized with names, monograms or custom embroidery. Our broader collection includes robes, hooded towels, personalized gifts and other coordinating products.
Another feature that sets us apart is our exceptionally fast turnaround. Blankets without personalization are usually shipped the same day or the following day. Personalized and embroidered blankets are typically completed and shipped within two to three days because our embroidery and production are handled in-house.
My Blankee is vertically integrated and proudly manufactures its products in Los Angeles. Cutting, sewing, embroidery, personalization and finishing are all completed in-house, giving us control over quality, customization and delivery times.
We serve individual customers, retailers, designers, corporate clients and private-label businesses. I am most proud that, more than 20 years after creating the first blanket for my son, we remain committed to American manufacturing, lasting quality and creating products that become a meaningful part of a family’s life.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can support My Blankee by purchasing directly from MyBlanke.com, writing a review about their experience on Google and recommending us to friends, family members and colleagues. Personal referrals and customer reviews have always been incredibly valuable to our business.
We welcome collaborations with fertility and IVF centers. For approximately 20 years, we have created personalized blankets for HRC Fertility to give to families after the birth of their babies. Each blanket can be embroidered with the baby’s name along with the fertility center’s name or logo, creating a meaningful gift that celebrates the family’s fertility journey while keeping the facility’s name connected to that special moment.
We can provide this same customized gifting program to other fertility centers, hospitals, maternity centers and pediatric practices. Because our cutting, sewing, embroidery, personalization and finishing are handled in-house in Los Angeles, we can customize the blanket size, color, embroidery, labels and packaging for each organization.
We also specialize in corporate and holiday gifting. Companies can send personalized blankets to employees who are expecting a baby, going on maternity leave or returning to work after maternity leave. We can accommodate individual gifts as well as large personalized orders for companies with many employees.
Whether someone needs one personalized gift or a large custom production order, we provide personal service, exceptional quality and a very fast turnaround. To place an order or discuss a collaboration, visit MyBlanke.com, email info@myblankee.com or call (213) 955-4516.
Pricing:
- Security Blanket 14×17 — $39
- Stroller Blanket 30×35 — $89
- Receiving Blanket 30×45 — $99
- Throw Blanket 52×60 — $189
- Super Throw Blanket 60×70 — $199
Contact Info:
- Website: https://myblanke.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myblankeeinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myblankee/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serge-soussan-a58110326
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/my-blankee-los-angeles-6
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/myblankee/
Image Credits
Serge Soussan
