By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
MILLSTONE— She calls herself the chief comfort giver and her motto is "Comfort for All."
Jessica Mashkevich created Kona Benellie Designs in 2010 only armed with scissors and a desire to make people’s lives easier through versatile comfort.
"I want to make people’s live easier and I want people to be more comfortable 24/7," Ms. Mashkevich said.
Ms. Mashkevich created the OmniRobe, a luxury robe that converts into four different styles, which appeared on the "TODAY Show." Her innovative spirit and mission to bring comfort to more people led her to create two new products, the Throwbee and the Kona Pet Blanket Lux.
The Throwbee, which has been featured on QVC, is easy to care for and machine washable. It’s a soft blanket throw with a discrete button seam in the center that when unbuttoned turns the blanket into a classy poncho.
"While staying surrounded in comfort and warmth, Throwbee allows you to get up and go and stay hands-free," Ms. Mashkevich said. "It’s perfect indoors and out, whether lounging, working on your computer, out at the field, tailgating, anywhere, everywhere."
She said one customer dressed her beige Throwbee up with a belt and heels and wore it around Manahattan. Throwbees are currently available in blue, beige and red. A shipment of gray is due to come in any day.
"It’s really for young people, old people, pet people, the couch, the outdoors and it’s a great comfort for people in the hospital," she said.
When customers started telling her that their pets were "stealing" their Throwbees, Ms. Mashkevich created the Kona Pet Blanket Lux, which will be available come September."Crafted with the same fine Throwbee fabric, the Kona Pet Blanket Lux is the ultimate in softness and comfort for dogs or cats," she said.
Ms. Mashkevich’s mission of "comfort for all" is now stretching beyond her customers. She has evolved her comfort-focused company into a social enterprise and now matches each customer purchase with a new blanket for a shelter dog in need.
Upon a recent visit to a local animal shelter to donate supplies and spend time with the dogs, she noticed that the pups had very little to bring them comfort and security in their living space.
"They do a nice job of caring for the pets but I’m in the business of blankets and comfort and asked what could I do to bring them more comfort," Ms. Mashkevich said. "Blankets happened to be at the top of their wish list."
In chatting with the shelter employees, she learned that blankets are at the top of most shelter wish lists nationwide. "Now we give a new blanket to a dog in need for every product purchased," she said. "Our story of giving becomes our customers’ story of giving and impacts the life of a dog forever. It’s a great business model. It’s a win, win, win."
Kona Benellie recently made a donation of blankets to North Shore Animal League in Long Island.
"We will continue to donate blankets to large, no kill shelters all across the nation," Ms. Mashkevich said. "Our mission is to bring more attention to shelter dogs and how people can help — it’s beyond the product," Ms. Mashkevich said. "I don’t know where my business interest ends and where my personal desire to get this message out to people begins."
For more information about Kona Benellie, its products and mission, visit www.konabenellie.com.

