In the heat of summer, wool is probably the last material on everyone’s mind. A nice wool sweater sounds like death by choking this July day, but what about wool on the floor? The typical Summer-esque floor covering is cecil, a grass woven rug that keeps cool, but does so with a very specific aesthetic that may not work with every style. Wool, despite its reputation for warmth, also regulates temperature very well, keeping excess heat and moisture from building up on its surface. The Circulos Rug is an unexpected candidate for eco-friendly flooring, composed of a 100% wool surface on an all cotton backing.

Circulos Rug. Designed by José A. Gandía-Blasco.

The Circulos Rug is designed by José A. Gandía-Blasco, owner of Gandia Blasco. Its wooly make-up renders it a sustainable, durable and resilient flooring choice. In addition to its modern and fun look, the Circulos Rug resists dirt, crushing and is also naturally flame retardant. Other rugs by Gan have a similar three-dimensional quality. Hand-tufted rugs offer an opportunity to make more sculptural rugs, which can be seen in Gan Rug’s hand-tufted collection. These rugs make me want to take off my shoes, get rid of my chairs and replace them with floor pillows.

About the designer: José Antonio Gandía-Blasco Canales was born in Ontinyent, Valencia. After studying law at the Valencia University, he joined the family business GANDIA BLASCO, a blanket manufacturer. In 1999 he inherited the company, and began fundamental changes to the company. Experimenting and innovating with materials and shapes, he has been able to turn the ideas of a lover of the Mediterranean culture into a brand image and lifestyle which are well known on the five continents. José A. is not only president of the company but also the art director. He designed a large part of the furniture and textile collections that are being commercialized today by GANDIA BLASCO worldwide. Urban furniture collections such as ‘Valencia’ (benches and wastepaper baskets), the outdoor furniture line ‘356’, which are both signed together with Pablo Gironés, the ‘Saler’ collection or accessories such as the daybed, torches, lamps, lanterns and candlesticks; carpets like ‘Mota 2’, ‘Círculos’, ‘Wall’, ‘Champiñones’, the duvet cover ‘Piedras’; all of them being products that can easily be identified with Gandia Blasco lifestyle. (www.gan-rugs.com)