The Braided Rug Company was founded in North Wales in 2001, when the team started a small mail order business, long before the days of e-commerce, selling their American Braided Rugs by phone. Made in North Carolina, they are based on the plaited rag rugs made by the early settlers for their cabins and The Braided Rug Company's suppliers have been making braided rugs for over 100 years! A family-run business, they represent the best of American quality and tradition, these rugs are highly durable, reversible, machine washable and made of the softest premium yarns and last a lifetime, making them a truly sustainable product.
In 2011, The Braided Rug Company decided to create their own range of natural, jute rugs with the British and European markets in mind. The team started working with a family-run manufacturing company in Bangladesh, using organic jute fibres and local, artisan skills to design their in-house colourways. Each rug is made up of a series of jute braids, each made of three colours. The rugs themselves can have up to 18 colours running through them and some also include waste fabrics, such as denim. They are all sewn by hand and the fabrics are braided by hand.
The Braided Rug Company quickly expanded their range to include baskets, tableware and tote bags. Over the years, the company has travelled to Bangladesh many times, and counts their colleagues there as the most integral part of this business. They share The Braided Rug Company's commitment to looking after people, creating jobs, employing women and working constantly to provide the best working environment possible. The company's production moved to brand new premises in 2021, they now run on solar energy and recycle rainwater for dying yarns. Through this constant innovation, they are now ECOTA accredited (the National Fair Trade Network of Bangladesh, a World Fair Trade Organisation). New innovations, but the faces and characters remain the same! Jute is 100% biodegradable, is the softest natural fibre, is extremely hardwearing and grows abundantly, harvesting three times a year.
The Braided Rug Company's office and distribution remain in North Wales, they now supply over 300 independent retailers and also have their own shop and online store.
"A twist on the traditional, unexpected, cosy, colourful and timeless."
"All our jute rugs come in (up to) seven standard sizes, including runners, however, we do offer a bespoke service for larger and custom-sized rugs. This is hugely popular with our retail customers and interior designers. Our custom rugs have a lead time of 10 -12 weeks, as each one is made to order and shipped by Sea. We will always consult our team in Bangladesh to ensure that a custom size will work with our patterns and designs. The designs tend to look even better in much larger sizes! We also offer advice to customers on matching our colourways to their existing schemes and rooms."
