diff --git a/app/models/item.rb b/app/models/item.rb
index 09d36126..ff025ad4 100644
--- a/app/models/item.rb
+++ b/app/models/item.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # requires item sweeper at bottom
 
 class Item < ActiveRecord::Base
+  include PrettyParam
+
   SwfAssetType = 'object'
 
   has_many :closet_hangers
@@ -173,15 +175,6 @@ class Item < ActiveRecord::Base
     }
   end
 
-  URL_CHAR_BLACKLIST = /[^a-z0-9\-]/i
-  def name_for_url
-    name.downcase.gsub(' ', '-').gsub(URL_CHAR_BLACKLIST, '')
-  end
-
-  def to_param
-    "#{id}-#{name_for_url}"
-  end
-
   before_create do
     self.sold_in_mall ||= false
     true
diff --git a/app/models/pretty_param.rb b/app/models/pretty_param.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c24bd71a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/pretty_param.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+module PrettyParam
+  BLACKLIST = /[^a-z0-9]/i
+  def name_for_param
+    name.split(BLACKLIST).select { |word| !word.blank? }.join('-')
+  end
+
+  def to_param
+    "#{id}-#{name_for_param}"
+  end
+end
+
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 20f027b4..b83b251c 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 class User < ActiveRecord::Base
+  include PrettyParam
+
   DefaultAuthServerId = 1
   PreviewTopContributorsCount = 3