When I see felt I think of kindergarten art projects. Felt is a bizarrely textured material that is easy to cut and cooperates with child-safe glue. Until I stumbled across Peace Industry felt rugs, felt was the fabric version of nails on a chalk board. Peace Industry’s felt rugs are creative, artful pieces with a backstory to excite the history geeks of the design world.

Felt Rugs Collection. Designed by Peace Industry.

Dodd Raissnia took a trip to Iran and returned with a felt rug for Melina Raissnia. This spurred an interest in the making of felt rugs that they subsequently turned into a business called Peace Industry. The tradition of felt rugs began in the nomadic mountain regions spanning from Turkey to Mongolia back in the Neolithic age. There, the nomads lived in felt covered tents which were made from a type of wool available in that region which produces an extremely strong felt. When the Raissnias went looking for experienced felt makers, they ended up in the mountains with a few old men who still knew the tradition.

Peace Industry now operates their own workshop in Iran, reviving the almost lost tradition of felt rug making. The rugs are made from 100% lamb’s wool with natural dyes and mild soaps. Each rug is hand-made in small batches for both quality and environmental concerns.

Melina Raissnia’s designs for Peace Industry are a harmonious blend of ancient and modern. They are abstract and colorful with geometric patterns and shapes. There is a quality of imprecision that gives the rugs a indigenous feel that references the deep rooted tradition of felt rugs. These rugs are sustainable, beautiful and worth a second look.