It’s all happening! Two Swiden Coast rug designs are available now at linusdean.com

Linus Dean, the man behind the brand ‘Linus Dean Rugs’ is someone I greatly admire.
Made in Nepal, his rugs are individually hand crafted using environmentally friendly dyes, safe working conditions, a strictly no child-labour policy and the utmost care and pride. Linus Dean rugs are 100% ethical and the manufacturer is registered with ‘Good Weave’ ensuring the weaving villages are safe, clean and child labour free.

Styling: Marsha Golemac
Photography: Brooke Holm
Furniture from: Modern Times

So as you might have figured out by now, Swiden is about to launch a very exciting rug collaboration with ‘Linus Dean Rugs’. Linus’s is a great inspiration to me and I’m so proud to be part of his dream.
When you read his story below, you’ll see what I mean.

LINUS DEAN: I had spent many years working as a graphic designer in Sydney, going through the motions of working for someone else, giving up my weekends, social life and family time. I hit a wall and decided I needed out! I was having a ‘Design Crisis’. I had a niggling idea about doing something with textiles and wanted to research how I could make it happen.

So I followed my gut and headed abroad, first stop Nepal. When I landed, it was an overwhelming change from where I had been but it was the start on an amazing journey into designing with purpose!

What came about was a series of rugs that are 100% ethical. 
Using one of the worlds most traditional practices – hand weaving, each rug is individually hand crafted, from spinning and dying the yarn to hand knotting, trimming, packing and shipping.

I only use the finest Himalayan or New Zealand wool, environmentally friendly dyes, safe working conditions with strictly no child-labour. Our manufacturer is registered with Good Weave who ensure the weaving villages are safe, clean and child labour free–something that I had to see for myself before I pushed forward.

My mission is not just about creating beautiful contemporary rugs, but ensuring the art of hand knotting is not lost forever. It’s vital for me to encourage employment in the local villages, environmentally friendly production and a sustainable income for the poorer countries. I’m also working on a pay-it-forward system, so a percentage of the profits go back to the community where the rugs are made.

The process of up and leaving my old life has brought about a series of amazing outcomes, but mostly the ability to rethink my design processes to consider the makers, the process and the sustainable aspects of design.

This article has been altered from its original content.
For full story please visit: www.designonline.org.au/content/rugged-adventures/
To view Linus’s rugs visit: www.linusdean.com

So excited jumping up and down – a sample in the form of a tiny winy mini rug arrived from Nepal!

It’s just a colour sample but I wanted to try and show you with some photos how beautiful the material and hand weaving is. It’s natural dyes and wool and so soft my feet are melting.

This is a wonderful collaboration that I’m about to release any day now, stay tuned!

It’s now been a year since I started on the Coast range and now the best bit is finally happening – a rug is on its way!  So far it’s definitely been my most exciting project so I thought I’d share some snaps from the creative process.

1. Draw and paint at night, it’s a slow but practical routine (toddler sleeping…hopefully). I experiment a lot with little paintings and try to not control my thoughts or consciously steer the design process. (Well that’s what I try to do but of course the outcome will always carry a few of my favourites. This time thoughts of coasting along the beach on my bike and jumping in the ocean crept into the mix.)

2. Tape the sketches to a wall so they’re the first thing I see when I wake up. (toddler jumping on bed)
It sort of works like a long equation which eventually makes sense.

3. Pick out the best bits and cut and paste on the computer until there’s a story with a flow. (Choosing colours is the best part.)

4. Hand paint the final design on a larger scale. (Nothing beats the hand, it gives the artwork life.)

5. Production (you know, real work.)

6. Trumpets!

Pretty darn stoked to be included in Lisa Gorman’s six pieces for summer in Inside Out!
I’ll make you a million patterns anytime Lisa!

Swiden in the new print & pattern book!

I’m the luckiest lady to have been featured on the very best design blog, The Design Files.
Thank you Lucy for the post, but mostly for bringing us so much
interesting reading and fresh creativity to watch. You rule!

I’ve promised to share some images from Kate Stokes new amazing work and here it is.
Truly exceptional lady, generations ahead will celebrate her star for sure.

Don’t miss our collaborative window at Craft Victoria this month!