Let 'er rip: Scott Corridan turns ruined table linen into a table runner.

The event rental industry reviewed both glamorous looks and profitable ways to pull them off at The Rental Show in Las Vegas. The event segment opened today; the official opening comes Tuesday at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

At today's "Events and Tents" opening session, Santa Barbara, Calif.-based event designer/producer Scott Corridan, head of Corridan and Co., hosted a no-holds-barred session on taking party rental's "old stuff and c***" and turning it into products that can be re-rented. "Let's repurpose inventory," he suggested.

As examples, he broke the stems off low-end glassware, yielding bell jars or cloches that can serve as holders for flowers or bases for centerpieces. He tore the edges of shopworn table linen into strips, which he then tied into bows for dramatic tabletops. He also cut damaged overlays into long strips to serve as table runners, and suggested gluing frayed fabric onto votives.

Tie one on: Corridan shreds, then ties table linen to create a resellable product.

Corridan encouraged attendees to look at every item in inventory in a new way. "A chair isn't really a chair, a table isn't really a table," he explained. For example, he noted he has stacked and secured standard rounds to create stages for go-go dancers.

He also touted the value of thrift shop and "found" items, such as driftwood. "Anything I can sell beyond four rentals, that is my ski trip, my Range Rover," he said. He urged attendees to ask themselves, "What is the last chance I have to make one more dollar off that glass?"

Photos by Special Events Magazine