As we begin dreaming up new ways to lessen our impact on the environment, circular thinking in design starts to impact interior products. Denna Jones looks at the prospects of the manmade fibre Econyl® and how a project between Italian brand Econyl® and Nepalese firm Sarawagi could open up new ideas for rugs.

How sustainable can a rug be? The answer is, it can be as sustainable as you demand it to be, you just need to be aware of what you are buying. Lucy Upward asks Susan Inglis, Executive Director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council in the USA, about her thoughts on sourcing rugs and homeware with a low environmental impact.

Handmade rugs reflect larger design movements but also exist in a microcosm of their own. Here are three rug trends currently embraced by interior designers for their schemes.

A collaboration between Norwegian brands Volver and Krafted channels Nordic design and promotes sustainability.

French heritage brand La Manufacture Cogolin’s two new collections take inspiration from Art Deco, the style of the period of its founding.

As sustainability and ethical manufacturing grow more important, we see many companies trying to do their part. However, existing initiatives often only address one link in a complex supply chain. With their Traceable Rugs collection, Chhatwal & Jonsson suggest a way forward.

Italian master Umberto Riva brings magical realism to a collection of hand-knotted rugs for Tacchini Edizioni.

It will come as no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic is severely affecting the global carpet industry and weaving communities. The coronavirus has arrived in all major production countries and has largely brought the industry to a halt.