Invite Elements of Nature Into Your Home With Armadillo’s New Rugs
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There are few easier ways to transform an interior space than the addition of a beautiful rug. It’s the perfect way to add a sense of elegance and luxury through layered textures, create a warmer and more comfortable feeling underfoot, and it’s a simple way to update the look of your flooring without having to replace it. Armadillo is known for creating timeless rugs that celebrate natural materials and meticulously handcrafted constructions—and the brand’s new Mesa and Panama rugs continue this creative vision by exploring the potential of jute.
The raw texture of the Mesa rug adds depth and natural beauty to contemporary interiors. Here, two rugs have been used to create clear zones within an open space.
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At the heart of the Australian-American brand is a partnership between design, artistry, sustainability, and social change, which is nurtured by co-founders Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst. Each rug is handmade by artisans using traditional craft techniques and carefully sourced natural fibers, including jute, wool, linen, and silk.
"We are drawn to natural fibers because they are sustainable, practical and inherently beautiful," says Pottharst. "By their very nature, they possess subtle, unique variations and have a rich, tactile, sensory feel that you won’t find with man-made materials. They’re just a pleasure to live with."
The dark green tones of the Panama rug (in the aptly named Kale colorway) work with the dark timber furniture and potted plant to evoke a sense of the natural world and bring character to an otherwise minimal interior. "The new jute rugs are so versatile, working across many different decorative styles," says Armadillo co-founder, Jodie Fried.
Since launching 13 years ago, Armadillo has been exploring how these natural fibers and traditional craft techniques can be reimagined for contemporary living. Jute has been used to craft rugs for centuries, favored for its rustic texture, durability, and sustainability. It’s also naturally renewable, naturally resistant to dust mites, and has antimicrobial properties.
The two new additions to the Armadillo collection continue to push these boundaries, celebrating the possibilities of the natural fiber and introducing elements of nature into the home.
The natural golden tones of the jute in the Panama rug (in Papyrus) adds a sense of warmth, while the complementary white virgin wool creates tonal depth. "We use premium jute, which has a lovely soft luster while remaining extremely durable for family living," says co-founder Jodie Fried. "Personally, I love jute because it has a soulful quality and is incredibly grounding."
Panama takes inspiration from two iconic Panamanian locations: The Papyrus colorway recalls the natural beauty of the deserted beaches that dot the islands and cays of the San Blas archipelago, with white wool combined with golden jute; while the deep, mottled texture of the Kale colorway evokes the lush tropical vegetation of the Chagres rainforests.
Here, the raw texture of the Panama rug (in Kale) contrasts with smooth concrete flooring and intricately detailed timber furniture to create a space rich in personality.
The organic texture and subtle variations in color and tone of Panama are achieved using a traditional soumak method. This tapestry-like weaving technique creates an organic texture that complements bohemian- and farmhouse-style interiors, or offers a pleasing contrast to contemporary and industrial spaces. For Panama, the raw, plaited jute fiber has been interwoven with virgin wool, resulting in a rich textural floor covering that brings a refined hint of the natural world inside. The addition of wool also adds softness that balances the raw jute.
Soumak is an ancient weaving technique that produces a thick, textured flat-weave rug that is very durable. The Panama rug features interwoven raw, plaited jute fibers and virgin wool that emphasizes the natural tones and texture.
Like Panama, the Mesa rug is also crafted using the soumak technique—however, it has been adapted to the more unusual one-side method, which gives an even more textural finish. The rug takes its name from the gorgeously irregular surface that results from this weaving method, which brings to mind rocky landscapes and wind-rippled sand. The thick weave is not only beautiful, but also incredibly durable, making it a good choice for high-traffic areas.
The raw, uneven texture of the Mesa rug is the result of using a rare one-sided soumak technique. The thick, rippled texture created by the unusual interaction between the warp and weft introduces a highly tactile surface to the floor covering.
Armadillo crafts its rugs in a way that is respectful to both the environment and communities. In April 2021, in recognition of its considered approach, Armadillo became the first Australian rug brand to achieve B Corp certification.
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Beyond transforming the home, Armadillo is also on a mission to transform the world and to challenge the all-too-prevalent throwaway culture—and the use of natural fibers, such as jute, is essential to achieving this.
The company is also the first rugmaker in Australia and the US to achieve B-Corp status, a sought-after certification that recognizes the brand’s impressive environmental and social practices. This includes 10% of net profits going towards the Armadillo Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged communities around the world.
"A rug made from wool, jute, or linen feels incredibly luxurious underfoot and will wear in, not out, over time," explains Sally Potthurst, co-founder of Armadillo. "This makes our rugs ideal for modern living."
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"With everything you bring into your home, it’s important to do your research," says Fried. "Shopping with an inquisitive mindset will ensure you end up with a product of quality, longevity, and hence sustainability—to the benefit not just of your home but of the world we live in."
Explore more at armadillo-co.com.
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