Vicky Sanderson I‘ve fallen hard for a newly-launched rug collection from Mark Krebs. But then, I’m a sucker for great design, vibrant colour and superior craft. Hand-made in India in tightly-woven cotton and wool (dense, durable, and good for high traffic) designs range from the subtle stipple of Birch—a flatweave of New Zealand wool and linen made on a hand-loom—to block and stripe motifs that come in rosy pink, blue, and neutral tones—or an exuberant mix of colour with black and white in the Chanterelle design.
By working directly with weavers, Mark Krebs founder Davin Cowper cuts costs on his line of handmade rugs. But he refuses to pinch pennies on materials or process. “When you start cutting corners, you shorten life. I want to produce product that’s multi-generational,” he says.
The handsome website has terrific content on techniques, weaves, and materials, as well as helpful posts on topics like wool origins and qualities. It also has information about availability through retail. Very much worth a visit. All rugs listed on the site are in stock and ready to ship. Custom orders take a bit more time and cost a bit more.
While the brand may move into other categories, the current focus is on flushing out a larger textile and handmade rug collection. A line of floor pillows is in the beginning stages. But there’s no hurry for Cowper. Launching during a pandemic offered lesson about taking the long view. Because it has meant, for example, that slowed shipping times have been less of a headache than they have for other brands.
“I’m not trying to be seasonal and I’m not launching something to discontinue it in six months,” says Cowper. “If it takes an extra month on the water or in production, obviously it’s not great. But if it’s two months late, it’s still just as valuable.”
