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Sootheze was started in a one-car garage in 1995 by a
massage therapy student and her husband. The original products
were the Hot & Cold
Therapy Pads and
the Buckwheat
Hull Pillows.
In 1998, the first Toasty
Bear was introduced,
and the success of this product established the company as
a leader in the heat, cold, and aroma therapy industry. Four
years later, the Christine
James Home Comfort Collection
line was added, creating a comprehensive line of home therapy
and spa products.
 The Company Today:
- Purchased in 2004 and privately held by Paul Losch
- Paul’s prior career experience is in corporate marketing positions with DHL Worldwide Express, General Mills, and in management consulting with Accenture. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School
- Based in Fremont, CA
- Fabrics/materials sourced from China, ingredients of US origin, finished in Sootheze Fremont facility
Representative Customers
- Whole Foods Markets
- Spa retail gift shops at Marriott, Hyatt, Omni and other prominent destination properties
- Premier Spas
- Hospital gift shops of Sutter Medical Centers
- TJ Maxx
- Soft Surroundings Women’s Gift and Apparel Catalog
The two lines: our Sootheze Toasty Bears and Toasty Spa Friends, and our Christine James Spa and Home Comfort Collection of body wraps and eye pillows include the following features:
ITEM |
Toasty Spa Friends |
Christine James Spa & Home Comfort Collection |
The Value Proposition |
Heat cold and aroma therapy delivered with a touch of whimsy—perfect for anyone with aches and pains |
Take the spa experience home—eye pillows and body wraps |
Selection |
6 different animal categories, over 40 designs |
Silk, satin, organic bamboo, flannel fabrics, over 20 colors and designs |
Retail Price Points |
From $17.95 to $38.95, 100% margins |
From $11.95 to $38.95, 100% margins |
Ingredients |
USDA food grade flax seed and 9 herbs in both lines |
Flax seed holds temperature best, does not lump, clump, break down or get dusty |
Packaging |
Items tagged, “kits” offered that feature occasion-appropriate items at a discount |
Dramatic clear acrylic “paint can packaging,” also available in easily recycled fiber board boxes |
Sootheze prides itself on offering unique, highly valued, premium quality products that fit most budgets and are not another “blister pack” offering. The products tie in with many leading retail concepts, such as natural wellness, reusable packaging, form plus function, among others. Our heat, cold and aroma therapy products are appropriate year round for anyone with aches and pains, but our experience is that our products sell best during the cooler seasons of the year.
The company’s size and focus enables us to provide a high level of service to our retail accounts. Our “no minimums” policy makes it easy for smaller companies to order from us. Our executive team’s experience working in corporate environments gives us an appreciation for how to work to support large organizations with complex product and supply chain demands. (For example, we drop ship to individual store locations, we truck full TL to distribution centers, and everything in between.)
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