Home decor had been the go-to project for most housebound urbanites during the pandemic. And we can see why. What else do you do when you’re stuck at home for weeks on end? And while some fads faded, some home decor trends never left — especially the ones that spoke to our love for pop culture.
Gen-Z buyers are quite taken with the customised tufted rug trend — handmade rugs, shaped like quirky objects and characters or themed around famous logos or artistes. Be it a Drake rug for your home studio or a ramen-themed rug for your kitchen — these homegrown labels are making it all!
Here are some small businesses that make amazing rugs themed around our favourite things!
The Rug Bugs
Started by 23-year-old Aparimita Jadaun during the lockdown, The Rug Bugs has taken IG by storm and has earned more than 43,000 followers. The label’s designs are unique and have immaculate detailing, making each rug a worthy investment. Plus, their rugs are vegan! The Delhi-based label is best known for its sneaker rugs, which are oversized rugs that look like popular sneakers — like Air Force One or Jordans.
Rainbow Tufts
Devanshi Gupta’s label spotlights adorable tufted rug-style mirrors that can elevate your home decor. Based in UP’s Bhadohi — a city known for its handcrafted carpets — Rainbow Tufts’s aesthetic has a strong Y2K-meets-VSCO vibe. The pastel shades are soothing to look at and can perk up your OOTDs for your mirror selfies.
WeRugz
Founded in April 2021, this rug brand celebrates India’s rich carpet-making heritage but also hypes up pop culture motifs. You’ll spot Baby Yoda-shaped rugs, cut-pile rugs bearing the famous Supreme logo and even cool anime rugs!
ExtraRugs
Olson D’souza’s Mumbai label offers some immaculately shaped rugs, be it pets, logos, miniature cars or sneakers — you can customise pretty much anything. Don’t forget to explore their anime-inspired pieces featuring Naruto and Sakura!