Sacred Places: Introducing our latest 100% Canadian wool rug collection

On June 21st, Canada celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day. In honour of this occasion, we are thrilled to announce our new collaboration: a collection of 100% Canadian wool hand-knotted rugs designed by Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George and produced by the family-owned carpet and flooring company, Burritt Brothers, based in Vancouver.

This collection brings together our long-standing partners and exemplifies our mission to create new opportunities for Canadian wool and the Canadians who transform it.

Sacred Places: Threads of History

“In Coast Salish culture, woven blankets and carpets represent a pure space, a new beginning, and they play a central role in many rituals, from naming ceremonies to weddings,” Chief George explained during our Spinning Yarns Speaker Series event. This collection brings together the Squamish nation’s oral traditions and stories about sacred Vancouver-area landmarks alongside traditional weaving motifs.

Ch’ich’iyúy: Two Sisters

In the oral history of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) people, two twin sisters from the Squamish nation married the warrior twins from the Stek’in village, once raiders of the Squamish Village, bringing about peace between the two nations. Their transformation into Ch’ich’iyúy (The Two Sisters Mountains) cemented their legacy of peace, guiding future generations.

Slhxí7lsh: Standing Rock

Embedded in the oral history of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) people is the tale of a man who, upon learning of his wife’s recent childbirth, retreated to cleanse himself before presenting as a pure example for his newborn son. Moved by his dedication, the Xaays brothers transformed him into Slhxí7lsh (Standing Rock), ensuring that his wisdom would resonate with future generations.

Woven Connections

Coast Salish weaving, a revered and noble Indigenous art form, draws inspiration from intricate patterns, like those found in the Woven Connections rug. Over centuries, the Salish People of the Pacific Northwest have crafted stunning blankets, robes, and tunics, imbued with vibrant colours and rich symbolism, using spun mountain goat wool, Salish wool dog fibre, and various other fibres.

The production partner for this collection, Burritt Bros. Carpet & Floors is a fourth-generation family-run company based in Vancouver. The company has always believed in the appeal and fantastic properties of wool, unmatched by synthetic alternatives. Burritt Bros. were thrilled to join us on this project to use, for the first time, 100% Canadian wool yarn from Briggs & Little, Canada’s oldest mill, which has been proudly spinning Canadian wool for over a century at their New Brunswick facility.

The rugs are manufactured by Burritt Bros.’ partner weavers in Nepal, a country renowned for its weaving tradition and high-quality artisanal rug production.

The collection is now available for purchase from Burritt Bros., with a percentage of each rug sold supporting our organization’s efforts to develop new opportunities for Canadian wool.

All of the rugs are available to order in standard sizes (5×8, 8×10, 9×12), with a possibility of customizing sizes and colours. 

For all questions and requests, please contact Jenny de Castris at jenny@naturescarpet.com

Wool, Land, and Weaving Traditions

For several years now, we’ve had the honour of working with Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George and her husband Skwetsimeltxw Willard ‘Buddy’ Joseph, esteemed artists and weavers of the Squamish Nation (British Columbia). The couple founded the L’henAwtxw Weaving House and are dedicated to training a new generation of weavers and promoting Coast Salish culture far and wide.

Chief Janice and Buddy are profiled in our Coast Salish Weaving mini-documentary, a part of our Fabric of Canada series. “In addition to appreciating the design, I hope that this collection resonates with people through its connection to the land. My message is that all land is sacred, to all of us”, explains Chief George.

Canadian Wool: The Perfect Carpet Material

Strong wool constitutes a large portion of the Canadian wool clip. As we have learned from our peers in New Zealand, the UK, and other regions, strong wool is ideally suited for carpet and rug applications due to its strength and durability, combined with luxurious suppleness and softness. Therefore, carpets and rugs have become a priority application for our domestic fibre, with the Canadian Wool Council leading the first major commercial applications. 

We published our Carpet Plan, which outlines various scalable, commercially viable value chain and logistical options to transform Canadian wool into rugs and carpets. Our first ever Canadian wool rug collaboration with Creative Matters and Sarah Richardson in 2020 received wide acclaim and tremendous interest from both the public and the industry, being featured in Architectural Digest. Since then, Creative Matters continues to produce 100% Canadian wool rugs with a portion of proceeds continuing to support Canadian wool innovation. 

We also actively liaise with our peers at the IWTO Interiors Working Group, where Carol Sebert, the Founder of Creative Matters, represents Canada, co-leading market research, product development and intelligence efforts.