Our Sustainability Journey
A red sun swathed in smoke hung bleakly overhead as a hot, dry wind blew from the east, carrying the ominous scent of not-so-distant fires. This was August in Bellingham.
Our normally lush, cool home was yet again feeling the effects of drought and fire. During the worst of last summer’s smoke, we temporarily closed the studio due to the poor air quality.
We’ve avoided that so far this year, yet there’s no denying that the climate is changing--and with it, the way we live.
Sustainable design is more important than ever.
Sustainability isn’t a new concept in our processes.
We make our Melange collection from leftover yarns, source domestic wherever possible to reduce our carbon footprint, and replace plastics like bubble wrap with biodegradable alternatives.
However, the urgency of climate change is pushing us to go deeper, exploring innovative techniques to reduce both waste and our dependence on the global supply chain.
Maeve hand-knotting warp yarns
Although Auda Sinda rugs are made with natural materials, the rubber latex we use for finishing comes in plastic jugs. We also go through quite a few single-use plastics when applying the latex.
Senior Weaver Maeve Eickelberg is developing new finishing techniques with the goal of eliminating latex.
Maeve is hand-tying the fringe at the either end of the rug, then hand-stitching to secure the edge instead of folding it over and gluing it with latex.
She is also weaving in the “tails” on the back side of the rug, instead of simply gluing them down with latex. This eliminates the need for jute backing, meaning you can now see the pattern on both sides of the rug.
Our new process has created rugs that are not only more sustainable, but also reversible!
Auda Sinda Base Beat rug
Auda Sinda Base Beat rug
This technique isn’t perfect or finished; it’s an ongoing process.
We found that we have to use a small amount of latex to secure the fringe, but that’s still a huge improvement. This process will need some more finesseing before we’re ready to offer it as an option for your order, but we’re excited to share our progress with you.