Sitting at her desk in the office of her Gunbarrel based office, Luana Rubin talked about eQuilter, the unique web-based business she and her husband Paul own.  This Internet-based mail order company, born in Luana and Paul’s basement, now has over 9,000 products in stock, including thousands and thousands of fabric bolts from all over the world. And they have a full time cutting and packing crew. 

“We cater to quilters, mostly, so we sell printed, fine quality 100 percent cotton fabric, with big, bold, contemporary designs,” Rubin said.  “We also have books, magazines, patterns and thread; all that goes with the fabrics.” They also carry tapestry, silks and all types of fabrics.

There are many international clients, “which is good because many can’t find prints where they live, like a Japanese fish print.  We have 20 varieties of those,” Rubin said. 

Before starting eQuilter, Rubin was a designer with an international firm in Hong Kong. Trained as a fabric designer, she has her own line of fabric designs. eQuilter is proud to carry all the unusual and beautiful fabrics that just can’t be found anywhere else.

Like Sending A Hug

Part of their business is charity work: they raised $45,000 last year.  After Sept. 11, last year, eQuilter asked their customers to make and donate quilts for kids and families who lost someone.

“Because I lived in New York and worked in the garment industry, I had people there who were willing to personally distribute the quilts, as opposed to sending them to a warehouse.  As far as we know, we distributed over 1,200 quilts,” Rubin was proud to say.

One of Rubin’s friends is a minister who connected with a neighborhood group in New York City that helped distribute the quilts. Part of their focus was on the many people who were left out, especially some of the workers who no one knows about.

“These are people ‘on the ground’ who hear about families and get to them,” Rubin said. The quilts were delivered personally, so families would remember who and where the quilts came from.
One of the many charities eQuilter gives to is Mission of Love, Rubin’s favorite. “It provides disaster relief for children and families around the world,” she said.

eQuilter’s administrator and customer service person Megan Freston helps quilters hook up with people to pass their quilts on to New York.  Freston said, “We have received many cards from families who received the quilts. They’re so grateful.  It’s like sending us a hug.”

For more information, visit www.eQuilter.com on the web.