FrithRugs Provenance

As it’s Fairtrade Fortnight, we thought what better time to remind our customers about the high standards we demand from our Indian rug manufacturers.  

We are one of the UK’s biggest importers of rugs and carpets and so are keen to ensure that the products we sell have been produced to the highest standards and without exploitation.

One way we can do this is by visiting manufacturing and weaving areas several times a year to ensure our ethical policies are being enforced – for example, insisting that no child or slave labour is used.  

We fully support and endorse GoodWeave UK (the international non-profit organization devoted to ending child labour in the handmade carpet industry in South Asia) which is ideal for smaller importers and wholesalers.  However, as a company with major purchasing power, FrithRugs feel more confident in setting out and adhering to our own stringent polices which we can police and enforce.   

We want to ensure that customers can purchase FrithRugs Indian rugs with confidence and with complete peace of mind and so in order to be sure of the provenance of FrithRugs we insist on our own labels which meet our own exacting standards. 

We have also helped establish a school in the main weaving area of Bhadohi in Utta Pradesh, North East India and continue to contribute to the running of the school.  To date we have helped educate 2,000 girls.

Introduce Chinoiserie Chic for a harmonious home

Chinese New Year is a great opportunity to show off our fabulous range of Chinese rugs and it’s one of our favourite times of the year.  With one of the biggest selection of Oriental rug designs under one roof, you won’t need to go anywhere else for your floor. 

This Chinese New Year (February 19th) is the year of the sheep, a Yin energy which symbolises peace, harmony and tranquillity and with all of us looking to inject harmony into our homes - what better time to invest in a traditional Chinese rug design.

The West fell in love with  Chinoiserie in the 17th and 18th centuries.  This was a time for exploration, and as a result, a fascination with all things Asian took Europe by storm. From Oriental rugs to wallpaper designs, from lacquerware to furniture, the Chinese imagery of dragons, pagodas, exotic flowers and snakes fascinated Europeans who wanted to introduce this exciting new style into their homes.

 

Put a dragon on the floor

The dragon or serpent is synonymous with Chinese designs but how do you prefer yours - rectangular, circular, half-moon?  Or maybe you want a runner or even an octagonal rug? If one of these shapes doesn’t float your ‘junk’ then we can actually make a rug to your personal specification.  

This is one of our most popular rugs and is also available in a range of colours.  A rug is often a good starting point for introducing Chinoiserie chic into your room.  You can choose from some incredibly bold and colourful designs - but remember with such a statement rug, your other pieces should be more subtle. 

Understated

It’s no wonder that Oriental rugs are one of our best sellers and purchased by customers of all ages to dress a variety      of properties including modern homes as well as traditional    properties.  If you just want a hint of the Orient, these rugs      are unmistakably from the East but are a little more         understated, using blocks of colour with a traditional               Chinese design in the centre or around the border. 

Try introducing other items such as bamboo furniture and occasional pieces of porcelain to demonstrate your Eastern flair.

What will your choice say about you?

Red for example, symbolises luck and happiness, gold means wealth and happiness and blue reflects healing, relaxation and calmness. With rugs like these, the trick is to let the rug do the talking - everything else should be a subtle complement.

The fabulous colours in our traditional Chinese designs are waiting to be discovered.  If you want to opt for the full Chinoiserie experience we have some beautiful rugs for those who are not afraid to make a rug the focal point of their room.  What will your choice say about you?