Narrative Threads Blog
Scroll through our Narrative Threads blog to enjoy behind-the-scenes insight on special projects for leading interior designers and architects.
NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO START A CUSTOM RUG PROJECT WITH CREATIVE MATTERS
Welcome readers from around the world. We hope this issue of Narrative Threads finds you, your families and colleagues well. To show you how we’re managing, how our colleagues at mills in other parts of the world are faring, and what we can do together to keep our international community strong, we bring you this update.
277 RUGS FOR THE NEW SHINOLA HOTEL IN DETROIT
Imagine our delight in 2017 when New York’s Gachot Studios invited us to create all the floorcoverings for Detroit’s new 129-room Shinola Hotel, one of the many projects that are creating massive renewal in the city.
WE EMPLOYED HUNDREDS OF AFGHAN WOMEN OVER FIVE MONTHS
In 2018 we were delighted to participate in a project that required 97 handknotted rugs. Until this year, we have assigned handknotted rugs to our trusted fair trade suppliers in Nepal and India. In 2018 however, we had the good fortune to work with a slightly different style of handknotting and create an incredible opportunity for Afghan women.
THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF FAIR TRADE RUGS - BEHIND THE SCENES WITH CREATIVE MATTERS PRESIDENT CAROL SEBERT
Fair trade is a critical issue for our floorcoverings that are woven by hand. This includes our collection rugs, as well as custom projects that may be handwoven in Nepal, India or Afghanistan.
THE LATEST ON HANDKNOTTED RUGS MADE IN INDIA
For every handknotted rug we design in our Toronto studio, we decide whether India or Nepal is best suited to its production. Read about Creative Director Ana Cunningham and Senior Designer Ali McMurter's April visit to our weaving partners in colourful Bhadohi in northern India.
BUY A PAINTING AND HELP NEPAL
Buy one of these framed originals and the full amount of your purchase will be donated to Nepal Aid, a fund established by Label STEP, the international non-profit organization committed to promoting fair trade in the rug industry.
TRADE SHOW HERE WE COME
Just like fashion designers, we have our custom pieces (haute couture) and our collections (ready-to-wear). However, we don’t walk our carpets down the runway, so trade shows are where we present our collections “in the wool” to current and potential retailers.
We are shortly off to NYICS – the New York International Carpet Show - taking place this year from September 7 – 9. It’s been interesting to see this relatively new fair (10 years) steadily growing. Domotex in Germany and Forza Tappeti in Italy are longer-running and among the ones we have attended regularly during our 25 years in the business.