Uncategorized: Aubusson carpets flatweave floor handmade kilim needlepoint oriental recycling rug sumak Tibetan
by Alix Unlimited
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Cast-off Carpeting on the Curb–Is Spring in the Air?
As I drove to my yoga class on an unusually balmy February evening last week, I could see that spring was already on people’s minds. Rolls of carpeting were unceremoniously cast off onto the curb in front of their former abodes… An eyesore for the neighborhood no doubt until these mildew-impregnated bundles will be mercifully removed by the local sanitation department. “Good riddance!”
And then what? Out of sight, out of mind. “I don’t care!” This is the typical response I get when I first bring up the issue with many clients or anyone who will care to listen. Actually, carpeting waste accounts for five billion tons of waste a year which represents 1% of U.S. landfills, according to Sustainable Residential Interiors by Kari Foster, Annette Stelmack, and Debbie Hindman (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).
While carpet recycling programs are beginning to emerge, the journey to progress is a long and expensive one. If you are “guilty” of having committed the above-described “sin,” think and plan ahead before jumping into the next carpeting purchase for your bedroom or stairs for instance. You can effectively help save the planet by buying a handmade floor covering that is intrinsically green and recyclable. We are talking about rugs that are handknotted—such as oriental and contemporary Tibetan rugs; flatweaves (including kilims, sumaks, needlepoints, Aubussons, dhurries; and handcrafted all-wool sisals. They are made with all organic materials, such as wool, cotton, silk, and hemp—no synthetics—that are easily cleaned which means they last at least a lifetime and handed down to the next generation. We are not talking about handtufted rugs, many of which feature the more difficult to recycle latex backing.
“Oh, but I need my stairs carpeted NOW!” is the instant reaction when you find out that you will have to wait several months for handknotted stair runners made to your specifications. As states Irish-born Clodagh, the grande dame of sustainable design (see The Decorative Carpet—Fine Handmade Rugs in Contemporary Interiors published by The Monacelli Press/Random House, 2010), it’s a simply a question of good planning. Don’t wait to the last minute to decide—several months is nothing when put into perspective. Rather than blanket the floor with disposable machinemade carpeting, she asks, why not give the floor a good polish and place a beautiful handmade rug or flatweave over it? Just think of all that carpeting rotting in the landfill. Every bit helps. Yes, it does.
FollowUncategorized: carpets design Domotex dye innovation lifestyle rug rugs
by Alix Unlimited
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The over-dyed rug craze trend—what’s next?
Ever since over-dyed rugs started appearing in the market a couple of years ago, I’ve been wondering: “How long can this last?” I have to confess that I was a bit aghast when I first beheld old traditional oriental rugs—mostly worn down to the bone—often patched up and over-dyed in neon blues, greens, purples, yellows, and more. My immediate reaction was “This over-dyed rug craze is sure to die soon!” No pun intended, of course!
While some of us may be indeed tempted to say “Basta!” and move on, cutting-edge rug designers are proving that they are taking this trend to the next level. Three finalist rugs featured at the recent Carpet Design Awards at the Domotex trade show in Hanover, Germany, were over-dyed. So why were they finalists? Take a look and see!
Jürgen Dalmann’s Rug Star’s ’ “Cross Over” Collection
This rug from “rug addict” Berlin-based Jürgen Dalmann’s Rug Star’s “Cross Over” Collection—a finalist for the “Best Innovation” category–dramatically combines a very striated abrash with variegated greens and electric blues as the backdrop for a traditional pattern whose outlines are bleached out. The rug is finished off with a silk pea-green long fringe.
Saraswati Global Ltd.’s Khotan
Consider India’s Saraswati Global Ltd.’s Khotan—a finalist in the “Best Traditional Nomadic design under 150 euros/square meter” where the rug pattern seems to evaporate into some painterly mist. Here the concept of dissolving any traditional barriers is indeed compelling but I can’t pretend to like this particular colorway. While I applaud this daring feat, I would like to see this concept executed in more pleasing—dare I say livable—colors.
“Bidjar Trilogy”
What about the German Jan Kath designer’s “Bidjar Trilogy”—a finalist for the “Best Modern Design over 200 euros/square meter” category? Here you have a set of three over-dyed rugs where the pattern progressively disappears from one rug to the next. Again—very intriguing concept but I would like to see a more inspirational rug design as the base. This particular Bidjar design conjures thoughts of moth-eaten rugs rolled up in a musty old attic…I have seen photos of the “Trilogy” in more appealing colorways than this yellow and green. Does the disappearing pattern signify the decay of our society engineered by the passage of time? Yes, European angst was present at Domotex. Also, I wonder: how viable is it to sell three rugs as a set in this challenging economy?
Are these rugs simply over the top? Will they sustain the test of time or end up rolled up in your basement in 10 years? I’m all ears for your thoughts!