By Sean Delaney
The goal is to build a great company for themselves, their employees, and their customers. The
family is doing a pretty good job. Alendel Fabrics Limited is family-owned and operated, and that
isn’t a cliché.
“It was started in 1981 by my father, Pietro, and three other gentlemen,” said Vince Lo Curto,
Chief Executive Officer at Alendel. “My father was in the retail side of the business with a small
retail store on St. Clair, then he moved to Jane and Highway 7, had a drapery, and when
approached by the three gentlemen, he took the leap and opened up a wholesale fabric
distributor.”
Lo Curto’s father took 51 percent of ownership and then took full ownership just a few years
later. The family has been working since they started the business. Lo Curto said there were no
summer vacations in their house. Whether cutting fabric or opening containers in the
warehouse, they were always a part of it.
“When I graduated, it was that ‘what do you want to do’ moment? So, I said, I want to take a
year off, travel, find myself. And my father said, ‘No way, you’re working,’” Lo Curto said. “Until
you find yourself, you work. And not part time, come on and get into the business.”
The business started to grow, and they moved to Vaughan. His brother Anthony came on, and
they expanded distribution to Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, and all over Canada. Then brother
John came on. He had a little stake in the auto industry and wanted to start his own dealership,
but Alendel was continually growing, and they wanted the three together.
“We know everyone from the years of working in the industry,” Lo Curto said. “And we have
some individuals who have been with the company for 30 years and seen us grow up. It is truly
a family.”
Their father founded the company on service, quality, and good stock.
“We must provide the best service in the industry; whether it’s a furniture manufacturer, interior
designer, decorator, or retail store, they need service. It’s not one order, so forget about it. We
have to ensure we have the best quality product, that we have it in stock, and provide the best
customer service.”
Lo Curto took his first buying trip with his father to Germany in early 2000. On that trip, he said,
he was blown away by all the different textiles, the different products available internationally,
and the possibilities in textiles.
In 2020, they decided to expand and move to Emery, a fabulous building.
“We wanted to build a building just for our company,” Lo Curto said. “We expanded to the US in
2018. My brother and I went to a trade show in North Carolina, which was a success. So, we’ve
started to grow and grow from there. As we grew in Canada, we were looking for a new
success. We were busting at the seams.”
The opportunity arose to purchase the Emery land; the rest is history. The company continues
to make more moves toward sustainability. They’ve started to invest in products with recycled
polyester, which is popular in textiles and made from oils. Shredded water bottles will be broken
down and woven into the product. They have also partnered with people who have ethically
grown organic cotton and maintain company standards that ensure no harmful substances are
used in the making of the products.
They have done much with Habitat for Humanity and got involved in Hats on for Awareness
campaigns with CAMH.
“We are excited to be a part of the Emery community.”
Find Alendel Fabrics at 3900 Weston Road. Call them at: 1-800-387-9968 Or find them online
at: www.alendel.com
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