Melina Raissnia approaches rug design for her company, Peace Industry, the same way she looks her painting, by “drawing on a visual vocabulary that includes organic as well as geometric and industrial forms.” In her floor coverings, like the Spill Rug (2003), she applies a bold graphic style to the ancient – and nearly extinct – Iranian craft of felt rug making. The felting for Peace Industry rugs begins with layers of wool fibers arranged on a tarp on the floor. Boiling water is sprinkled on the top and the tarp is then rolled up, and walked on and worked, causing the wool fibers to shrink together. In the case of the Spill Rug, cream and camel fibers are used together as base colors to create a textural depth. The Peace Industry workshop in Iran is the only one of its kind in the world. Raissnia believes that this revitalization is, by its nature, a sustainable practice – a post-industrial approach that, as she puts it, “looks to ancient wisdom to create a greener future.” No chemicals or toxins are used at any point in the rugs’ production process, and they’re crafted from 100% lamb’s wool and vegetable dyes. Adhering to Fair Trade practices, Peace Industry guarantees that these rugs will not deplete natural resources and that all their craftspeople earn a living wage. Made in Iran.