Common Threads is a limited-edition rug collection from Designtex produced in collaboration with Arzu, a nonprofit organization that provides sustainable income to Afghan women by sourcing and selling the rugs they weave. Every Arzu worker is paid above market compensation on looms in their own homes. The high-quality, hand-spun wool, which is separated into individual strands, absorbs the natural dye unevenly to produce variegated color and a textured surface on the rug. The collection includes six modern rug designs in three colorways and comes in 5' x 7', 6' x 9', and 8' x 8' sizes. Each unique rug can take up to a year to make. Designtex, New York City. www.designtex.com

[Reader Service: September 2009 #207]