Peace Industry

The Good
1) Incredibly gorgeous designs and color combos.
2) Thick & durable texture– you won’t need a slip mat underneath
3) Presumably you’re supporting a fair trade company, and via name association a business that employs people in the Middle East, and either donates a % of profits to peace/​sustainable causes (although on looking at their web site I don’t see anything that clearly indicates that is right, so may have been my erroneous assumption).
The Bad, & the Ugly
1) My rug shed more than an Alaskan Malamute on a tropical holiday.
2) If you like to lie or sit on your rug while doing yoga or watching a game it’s not the most comfortable– think old wool sweater itchy. Fine for a room where you’re not doing yoga or watching the tube sitting on floor.
3) The salesperson I bought it from told me the colors would get more vibrant/​brighter over time. Hmm, well apparently I was in a kool-​aid drinking mood that day and there’s not magic color vibrancy increaser going on here. So while I picked a gold/​yellow rug with brown design had I known it would fade I would’ve gone for a blue or darker colors.
4) I had this rug in a side room, not in a room that has highest traffic. The beloved design on my rug turned out to be a curious mystery, perhaps titled, «The Incredibly Shrinking Giant Flower» and I was left to wonder… where did it go? Perhaps the way of the fur from the the non-​existent malamute? I would say it was 30% gone after 5 years. Imagine if you got a hair style you loved, and then random swathes of your hair were removed. That. Not a great look no matter how good the original style.
Summary: If you want to invest in a rug that you can have years down the road, I’d advise a friend to look elsewhere. If you can afford to replace your rugs and don’t expect it to last you for over 5 years, then you’re likely good with the product & hey, you can have a really nice «old» rug out on the playa for Burning Man. For me, this price point was def a splurge & I prefer to keep furniture for the long haul and not add to the waste stream. I did contact the owner who offered me a very fair discount on the next purchase, however I decided I did not want to invest any more money in a rug that would likely have the same issues.

Sustainable Art that thrills and warm every space. Thank you Melina for your amazing addition to our home and your personal color consultation.

Beautiful rugs. I bought one and returned for a second. However, the owner Melina is unfriendly, bordering on hostile. (Why is she working the front of the store?) Each time I’ve come in, she has sat at her desk, refusing to acknowledge me. Once, when I stood a polite distance away from her when she was on the phone, she snapped that she was busy. (I was waiting to pay.) In spite of this, I’ve ordered a custom rug with the help of a sales person who suddenly appeared after hearing her snarl at me. (She quietly apologized for Melina’s rudeness), and, later, another from inventory. I recently dropped in thinking I might buy a choob (a felt ottoman) only to get the cold shoulder again. No hello, no smile, no eye contact.
Yes, the rugs are that special. I love the store (in addition to rugs, they carry some wonderful home accessories from Bay Area artisans), I wish I could say I like Melina.

Walked in this morning to see a «No techie scum» sign sitting on the front display. The saleswoman tried to hide it but not until after I had already noticed. Who do you think buys your overpriced rugs, you halfwit?
If you work in the tech industry, keep your money. Peace Industry apparently doesn’t want it.

Absolutely gorgeous thick felt rugs in a variety of designs, styles, and sizes. They are not cheap, but they are worth every penny.

I first walked into the original location of Peace Industry about 10 years ago. My sister knew about them, or else I would have passed by without a look. I remembered them when I bought my first place, a condo with a 70s feel, and went back in. I took home and fell in love with a 7×7 hextile rug in cranberry. I mean I really fell in love. But, it was the wrong size, and a custom 8×10 in the right design felt out of reach for me. So, I waited about 2 years and finally placed the order. I’ve had it for more than a year and I still get the same pleasure that I did the first time I brought it home. Totally worth it.

Area rugs roll in and out of our home like dust bunnies. They seem fine in the store then they come home and something looks off, or they don’t lay right or the pet fur congregates, etc. About two years ago I walked into Peace Industry (at their previous location) and wondered around for a bit, asking questions, feeling the texture, the weight, and stuck their business card on my wall at home. Our last area rug rolled out of the house in the spring and I’ve been waiting, waiting until the holidays were over so I could reward myself with a big ol’ lovely felt rug from Peace Industry.
I walked in on 12/​26, met Melina and Dodd, who graciously showed me every 8×10 in the shop and carefully explained the super easy care instructions. After about 30 minutes I picked one to take home, but was pretty sure I’d be bringing it back (they let you borrow them for 3 days if you leave a credit card number) and ordering a custom color.
However, once the rug was unfurled at home I quickly realized it will be a cold day in Hades before I take this rug back! It is simply a beautiful work of art, in color, make and feel. Now I want another…

I am now the proud owner of 2 Peace rugs.
Handmade, well made, beautiful, and always a point of interest to anyone that comes over.
Thank you, Melina!

I have been searching for the perfect rug for a little over a year now… and have finally found the perfect piece for my home. Peace Industry has been the answer to my endless rug search from the moment I walked in.
My home has a very heavy-​duty 70s feel to it by design, so finding a rug that is modern, colorful, and UNIQUE has been hard. All you ever find online are stale replicas of some cheap cubist design or stale over-​elaborate pieces to match your grandmothers antique room. My husband and I walked in to Peace Industry and could finally agree on a rug to take home. And it’s looking fabulous in our living room right now! It’s also really cool that they use felt. It’s actually pleasant to the skin.
Would love to come back, but our house isn’t quite large enough for multiple rugs. Highly recommend for those who love modern, colorful, quality furniture.

I’m the proud owner of a Peace Industry rug. It is absolutely gorgeous and looks perfect in my living room. The person helping me select it was extremely nice and friendly and willing to let me look at each rug multiple times. Even though it was very expensive, I am sure it will last forever because of the quality of the rug and the density of the felt.
Peace Industry also lets you take your rugs home to try out in your place if you leave a credit card number, which saves the risk of buyer’s remorse. Surprisingly enough, even the big rugs fold down small enough to fit on Muni.
They also have a stack of used prayer rugs for far less money. They’re really cool, and ¹⁄₁₀^th the cost of a full Peace Industry rug.

Not a current customer, but a future one… once my kids get a little bigger and know how to poop consistently in the right places.
Beautiful rugs and Melina has beautiful painting and artwork for sale in the store, too. I loved the art and the rug designs and plan to save $$ for shopping in a few years. Timeless, modern works of art for your floor!

If you are looking for a wonderful alternative for modern, eco rugs. you need to check out Peace Industry. Their designs are modern, precise and and quite refined. Melina (the owner and designer) along with her husband Dodd, have brought to San Francisco a series of rugs that are habit forming. The process of creating felted rugs is ancient, but seldom used anymore. Luckily those beautiful, tough-​as-​iron creations can be had at Peace Industry.
I am designer, and my client recently had a custom order done. It was completed in about 5 weeks, and is absolutely stunning. It is by far
one of the nicest pieces they have acquired.
As far as price goes. For what you are getting in the way of original design, hand-​made to your specifications, the outstanding quality, the attention to detail and excellent customer service, I think you will experience a very fair price. Far less than most other options that achieve the same quality.

Beautiful, modern rugs but pricey. I visited their shop in Inverness Park years ago. Their website gives a good idea as to the patterns they carry but the texture is key. Go feel them.

These felted wool rugs are works of art! But don’t be afraid to put them to work warming up your chilly San Francisco flat’s hardwood floors — that is their destiny, and they live up to it.
My boyfriend and I finally bought one for our living room, and it is incredibly comfy, durable, and beautiful, and the rich colors really warm up the space.
They are expensive, but Melina and her husband know it and go the extra mile to make sure their buyers are happy — they let us borrow two entire rugs (not just swatches, which they also lend out) to test out overnight before we found the one.
And since it’s a family-​run business that oversees production, you can ask them about the process and find out all about the unique Iranian felting methods they’re struggling to preserve. Very cool!

I’ve been coveting one of these rugs for a while, and my husband and I finally decided to go for it. The owners were super friendly and even let us take a huge vintage one home to try out for a few days; when we (well, I) decided it was too big and too dark for our living room, we just brought it back, no problem, and chose one of the beautiful modern rugs designed by Malina (and a smaller vintage prayer rug just because they’re amazing). They are expensive, but they’re handmade, and beautiful, and one-​of-​a-​kind, and incredibly durable, and an amazing piece of craft technique you won’t find just anywhere.

11÷7÷07 update: Congratulations! I just saw that Peace Industry now has rugs for sale via the Design Within Reach website! So happy for Dodd and Milena.
***********
So get this: Iranian owner learns the physically strenuous and dying art of rug felting, until recently only practiced by a few remaining elderly and very ripped (no kidding, watch the video on the web site) artisans in his home country. He sets up a workshop there and passes on his knowledge to a new generation. His wife, a Chicago School of Art graduate, designs the rugs. And they sell them together here in SF. How lucky are we?
I have a small circular one, perfect for my tiny living room. They have others that are like enormous canvasses. And you know what? I would say they’re a bargain given that this thing will outlast my children’s children’s children (were I to have any children).

I have never bought anything here, but I wandered in once to check out the rugs. The owner barely noticed me though… She was frantically yelling at the person on the other end of the phone, «The embargo could ruin us!»
I remember being amused by the prospect of a worldwide felt embargo that was crippling the rug industry. But now I read on Unilocal that this is an Iranian shop and therefore the mess in Iran is very likely crippling their business. And I feel like a jerk for making the fun.
One of these days I will buy one of their rugs to cleanse my soul, but that will have to be in the distant future when I have a little more cash… These rugs are pricey! But very colorful.

These rugs are beautiful. I am a big rug person. If I were rich I would own several of these rugs and walk around barefoot all day on them. They would be placed on beautiful hardwood floors that would creak ever so slightly to a step.
To me, these rugs are like a beautiful piece of modern art with the canvas being your floor. Considering you are in direct contact with this part of your home every day I see it as a highly sound investment. I’ll work on becoming rich though… that might take a while.
On a more serious note, the owner seemed very knowledgeable and friendly and totally cool with answering my questions like why the movie they were playing was showing someone putting flame to the wool… you should check it out and find out the answer for yourself.

I actually purchased a rug at Peace Industry and have been very happy with it. The designs are refreshingly neo-​mod and in wonderful colors. Both of the folks in the shop I’ve interacted with have been very friendly and helpful.
Featured in Sunset Magazine and voted best «one-​of-​a-​kind rugs» by San Francisco Magazine, July 2004

Cool selection of rugs that, well, really tie a room together. Make rugs, not war. Rugs not drugs. Yeah, they carry some really cool handmade rugs. And felt no less.