Behind The Brand - Crucial Trading

By Jim (02/02/2018)

Hi everyone! We work with some fantastic companies here at Designer Carpet to bring you amazing top-quality products at great prices. But just who are these companies - and why exactly are they held in such high esteem?

Many manufacturers are an unknown quantity for the public, so we thought we’d share some information on our favourite brands, starting with...Crucial Trading!

Crucial Trading Sisal Grand Herringbone Stair Runner - Image © Crucial Trading

The Company

Unlike many of the brands we work with, Crucial Trading is quite a young company, and they have the fresh approach and energy to match! It was founded 32 years ago in 1986 by David and Janet Green, who at the time were running an import business for the sisal and coir which would later become their amazing carpets.

These natural fibres didn’t have a huge market at this time - they were lumped in with the ‘colonial style’ of rattan baskets and cane chairs, and the couple were running their business from their home.

Crucial Trading Sisal Linen Image © Designer Carpet

It was the intervention of David Nightingale Hicks, the influential designer (responsible for, among other things, making carpets for Windsor Castle) which launched the Greens - and their natural floor-coverings - into the big leagues. Hicks was keen to sell the rustic but high-class feel of these products to his rich and aristocratic clients, and was very successful.

A year later, in 1987, Crucial Trading tried something new - they began a bespoke rug service, providing customers with the ability to create something unique and special. This part of the business proved incredibly popular and still runs today, based in in the home of UK carpets: Kidderminster. If you want a Crucial Trading rug yourself, along with their wide range of borders, just let us know (or of course we do provide a similar service ourselves!).

After this, Crucial Trading moved their offices from London to Shropshire. They even opened up a ‘sister company’ in the Shrewsbury Market Hall called ‘Crucial Trading Post’, designed to sell colonial furniture as a compliment to their floor-coverings - this didn’t last, but the main company went from strength to strength throughout the the late 1980s and 1990s.

In 1989 they opened their first high-street showroom on 79 Westbourne Park Road - now located right next to a hair salon, so if you fancy combining an interior design expedition with a quick cut-and-style, you have the option!

A second showroom opened in 1992 on Kings Road - this is right at the centre of the Chelsea Design Quarter, of which Crucial Trading is a registered partner, along with Catchpole and Rye and the Roca Gallery.

Since then they have expanded their range of carpets, supplied to hundreds (if not thousands) of retailers and have sales representatives in every corner of the country.

The Philosophy

Crucial Trading puts innovation at the core of the business, continuously experimenting with new techniques, textures and patterns. For example, they were the first company to create Sisool, the combination of sisal and wool we now know and love.

It also seeks to inspire others - their current tagline is 'Where Inspiration Begins', and one of the main reasons they opened their aforementioned showroom was to ‘fuel imagination’ of their potential customers.

In addition to this, they have never strayed from their dedication to natural, top-quality materials. They describe anything less as ‘a false economy’, and source all their products and fibres from trustworthy suppliers; their wool carpets are made with pure New Zealand mountain wool produced in partnership with Wools of New Zealand and Laneve, who ensure sustainability, transparency and a fair share for their farmers.

Sisal Plants - Image Found on Wikipedia

Their Sisal (made with Agave Sisalana, a close relative of Agave Tequilina, from which we get tequila) comes from Brazil and Tanzania, and is stripped and dried for nearly a month before it is ready to become a new carpet. Vietnam and China provide Seagrass and India produces both Jute and Coir from Kerala and the Mahanadi river basin respectively.

Given this philosophy, it is hardly surprising that Crucial Trading are members of The Carpet Foundation - the impartial body designed to promote carpet- and follow their strict Code of Practice.

They are also a sponsor of ‘Holiday House London’, a charity event in which designers and studios display their work in a spectacular showhome to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Some Of Crucial Trading's Friends - All Images © Of Their Respective Owners

The Products

Crucial Trading produce nearly 80 different ranges in six different materials (wool, sisool, sisal, seagrass, coir and jute) - all of them are unique and special, but it’s inevitable that some will be favourites...

Wool Fabulous

Fabulous lives up to its name - a gorgeous zig-zag pattern with rich colours and a varied loop for texture, it is soft to the touch and stunning to the eye!

In 2016 it won the ‘Innovation in Wool Carpet’ award from the Campaign for Wool’s Carpet and Rug Awards, and remains one of their best-sellers to this day.

Sisal Harmony

With two ranges, one a herringbone pattern and the other a traditional looped boucle, Sisal Harmony harnesses the beautiful metallic finish of Sisal to great effect, creating a palette of beautiful colours which are classic and contemporary and the same time.

Harmony was shortlisted for the House Beautiful Awards 2017 - although sadly they didn’t win this time round, they remain a favourite with both ourselves and our customers!

Wool Mississippi

This range of scintillating stripes is Crucial Trading’s perennial bestseller, and it’s easy to see why! Perfect for stairs and landings, the Mississippi carpets are bold and beautiful. We have sold dozens of them, so we can attest to their popularity!

And that's Crucial Trading - from humble beginnings they are now a respected, award-winning and very talented company. We’re happy to be supplying their products, and we hope you’ll be happy with one (or more) of them in your home.

If you've been inspired, you can find their full range of carpet here until next time, happy browsing!

Carpet Underlay

Door Strips

Behind The Brand - Crucial Trading