We first started
producing broadloom carpets in the 1930’s.
Not only did we play a big part in
introducing American households to the very concept of walking in comfort, we
provided the impetus for mass appeal by introducing yet another innovation in
1948: our Kara-Loc® method of weaving.
Initially limited to the
production of plain velvet and twist styles, Kara-loc eventually produced an
explosion of fashion innovations, including multi-colored designs, along with
cut-and-loop effects at least 15 years ahead of the rest of the industry. The
innovative method made possible the production of high-styled, quality carpets
at prices affordable to average consumers.
We’ve been rug innovators
since 1928.
The year American retailer and textile manufacturer Marshall Field
built a loom capable of recreating the detailed craftsmanship of a hand-woven
rug. From the moment the first Karastan came off the loom (2:02 p.m., April 8,
1928), our name became synonymous with elegant machine-made rugs that rivaled
their handmade counterparts.
So far advanced was the
new manufacturing process that the trade press referred to our rugs as “Mystery
Rugs.” To share the “mystery” of these rugs with the public, Karastan created a
large version of its Kirman pattern for the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago.
But instead of putting it on display so visitors could simply admire its
beauty, Karastan did the unthinkable. We invited the world to walk on it. And
so the world did.
More than 5 million
people left their footprints, spills and ground-in food stains all over the
rug. Then it was time for cleanup. We cleaned half the rug so people could see
how well our rugs recover. The rug still exists in the same state today—one
side almost unrecognizably filthy, the other returned to its original beauty
and luster.
To prove that the
demonstration was no fluke, we did it again. This time more than 9 million
visitors walked on our rugs at the New York World’s Trade Fair of 1939-40. It’s
no wonder our rugs became known as “The Wonder Rugs of America.”