Exclusive Stories

Zollanvari International returned to the recent Maison&Objet Paris, September 5 – 9, 2024. Located on one of the main red-carpet aisles in the prestigious FOREVER sector of the fair, the company presented an entirely new stand concept, with a featured artist presentation and the debut of its new Zollanvari International Contract Collection. RUG INSIDER spoke with Ramin Zollanvari just ahead of this weekend's COVER Connect NY about this exciting and diverse production.

Exquisite Rugs lands a deal with the Smithsonian and will unveil lines inspired by the historic museum’s artifacts at the upcoming High Point Market. It’s a great honor to be chosen to collaborate with the Metropolitan Museum Of Art on a rug collection, which makes it even more impressive that Exquisite Rugs has also been picked as a collaborator by the esteemed Smithsonian Institution.

“We already have close relations with our factories,” observes Daisy Barquist of Tamarian, “but we are NOT in Nepal 24/7!” She and her colleagues want to stay up-to-date about conditions in each of their locations, to make sure all the weavers have what they need and are treated safely and fairly. Now, “There’s something very reassuring knowing that they are being monitored frequently.”

New leadership duo seizes the reins and steers the custom carpet company to new heights

Building on the legacy of its founder Carol Sebert, artfully established and proudly Canadian custom carpet house Creative Matters is kicking off the new year by rolling out a broader path grounded in the company’s roots but strategically positioned to command new opportunities that lie ahead—both in North America and across the pond.

USA division of global operation celebrates ongoing legacy as area rug industry’s key resource

This year marks a major milestone for not just one company but the global rug industry as a whole. Oriental Weavers USA is turning 35, and this domestic division of its Egypt-based parent has much to celebrate about its role and relevance over the past three and a half decades—and counting.

Area rug companies expand and elevate offerings of sustainably-made styles. Recycled plastics-made fibers are not new to the world of area rugs. For a while now, suppliers have been developing and promoting these products to promote not just for their sustainability attributes but also their inherent performance benefits—namely, extra softness and resistance to fading and staining— all of which are highly conducive to today’s family- and pet-friendly lifestyles.

We’ve been hearing about “green” products and practices for years now. With rugs and carpets, environmental awareness has evolved to encompass broad concerns. Today, they’re created with consideration for not only content and production, but also benefits to humanity.

As the daughter of a rug wholesaler, I have vivid childhood memories of visiting customers with my father, sitting on a stack of rugs while the men attended to business. There were rarely women present in these spaces—but it wasn’t until I joined the industry years later that this struck me as odd.