December 05, 2019

Behind the scenes with Hart

We’ve always appreciated jute rugs. But we really fell for them when we bought one for our product shoots. This rug felt medicinal. A true cure-all, we used it to cover up unfinished studio floors. 

Hart on set

But we quickly realized it did more than that. It was the perfect companion piece for rugs which were smaller. We loved the subtle texture it added to our shots, and the almost-massage it gave our feet when we crossed it barefoot. In short, we used this rug until it disintegrated.

A byproduct of spending so much time with this piece was that we began to understand precisely what we loved about it. We loved its texture, color, and casual feel.

Hart under Steppe

Our newfound jute intimacy meant we also recognized what we wished we could change about this rug. Namely its thick weave which trapped clouds of dust.

Ultimately, with all this data, our head of product realized we should just make our own. Which (after many rounds of samples) led to Hart, a finely-woven, golden-hued dream of a jute rug.

Getting to the exact right weave and color was tricky. Many suppliers told us it was impossible to weave jute as thinly as we wanted to. It just wasn't done, they said. When we found a partner who was willing to experiment, we ran into another problem: the finer the weave, the more expensive the rug. We began to understand WHY it "wasn't done"—it can be wildly pricey!

Testing weaves and colors

But we refused to be deterred and were able to strike a happy medium with our weaving partner. We decided upon a flatweave that was fine enough to eradicate wide grooves, and affordable enough that we could feel good about selling it. 

Finished product, triumphant!

And that's it! That's the story of us falling in love with a jute rug, making it even better, and bringing it to your doorstep. 

We hope you heart it as much as we do.