CREATIVE MATTERS DEEPENS ITS GLOBAL DESIGN STORY IN 2025
L-R: Creative Matters’ Managing Partners Ali McMurter & Ana Cunningham at the new Toronto office at 300 Geary Ave.
Photography: Andrea Gibson
2025 unfolded as a year guided by movement, ideas, materials and the relationships that continue to define our work. With the opening of our new Toronto office, the horizon widened — into spaces, new collections and collaborations that deepened our dialogue with the world. Across every project, the year traced a clear throughline: growth shaped by inquiry, partnership and a quiet, disciplined pursuit of design. It was a year of change that began with a shift in our own environment.
INSIDE OUR NEW TORONTO STUDIO
Creative Matters’ new studio at 300 Geary Ave.
Photography: Andrea Gibson
Our transition into a new Toronto studio became one of the most impactful moments of the year. Designed to support the full arc of Creative Matters’ practice, from design development to hands-on tactile experimentation. Collaborative spaces, a pom wall, a fabric library and natural light create a setting where ideas live openly in dialogue, supporting how our team works together.
A VISUAL DIALOGUE
Designer (drops): Creative Matters x LOMA Studio
Photography: Anna Muller
We launched a collaboration with photographer Anna Muller, which was an anchor for our visual narrative throughout 2025.
Ana Cunningham, Managing Partner, shares, “Anna captures the quiet nuance of our rugs in a way that mirrors our own storytelling, rooted in transparency, materiality and a deep respect for the craft behind each piece.”
A photo from this collaboration graced the front page of COVER Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue, a milestone we have long been working towards. This campaign is helping shape the way we share our work with the world, that artistry and materials go hand in hand.
COVER Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue
Photography: Anna Muller
MOMENTS SHARED IN NEPAL
In March, Ali returned to Nepal to visit our partner mill and strengthen our relationship with the weavers whose craftsmanship brings our work to life. A highlight of the trip was Art Day, a hands-on workshop that invited artisans to explore colour through a yarn-wrapping exercise that mirrors a step in our design process.
Art Day in Nepal
Photography: Narendra Shrestha
“Design and production can feel worlds apart, yet they meet the moment a rug begins to take shape,” Ali reflects. “Art Day is a way to bring artisans into that first moment and share how the colours and elemental fibres they shape with such fluency.”
Our mill visits remind us that our work is shaped not by materials but by the relationship we have with the artisans and community. Responsible design begins with connections to the craftspeople who bring each piece into being.
THE LOOMINARY COLLECTION AND THE LANGUAGE OF MATERIALITY
The official launch of the Loominary Collection was unveiled at COVER Connect New York. Loominary is grounded in tactile subtlety, raw fibres and quiet abstraction.
“The collection celebrates the beauty of earth-derived materials, such as cactus, pashmina, wool and hemp,” Ali McMurter, Managing Partner, shares. “Its neutral palette and gentle gradations create surfaces that echo the rhythms of nature, shifting light and softening geometry.”
Lucent Cedar in production. Made in Nepal
Photography: Narendra Shrestha
Loominary not only broadens Creative Matters’ design vocabulary but also reinforces our commitment to material-driven storytelling.
A COLLECTIVE REFLECTION
Redoux Passager Installation at Human/Nature inside Evergreen Brick Works
In October, Redoux Passager, created in collaboration with LOMA Studio, made its North American debut at Human/Nature, AZURE’s climate conference. The handtufted wool and silk installation invited attendees to pause and reflect on our relationship with water.
A highlight of the event was a pop-up panel led by Ana Cunningham and Johan Brunel, where they explored the regenerative qualities of natural fibres and how material choices can shape our relationship with place. Their conversation showed how design can spark meaningful cultural and environmental dialogue, creating space for both reflection and connection.
ADVANCING THE CONVERSATION ON 100% WOOL
Origins from Campaign for Wool Collection
100% Canadian wool, made in India
2025 marked a significant advancement in the conversation around wool. Independent laboratory testing, spearheaded by the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), confirmed that 100% wool Axminster performs on par with wool-nylon blends in high-density foot traffic commercial settings.
The new findings open more pathways for sustainable interiors and position wool as a leading solution for commercial spaces seeking durability and longevity. This challenges decades of assumptions in the carpet industry, strengthening the case for using wool.
As Creative Matters looks toward 2026, the themes that shaped this year, connection, material integrity and global collaboration, continue to guide our direction. We move forward with the relationships, materials and shared experiences that inform our practice, maintaining a commitment to design that is intentional – allowing our stories to evolve with each new collaboration, each fibre explored, and every rug brought to life.