Cocoon Fine Rugs is known as one of the forerunners in the designer rug space in India. Ayush Choudhary’s family has been in the rug business for over 35 years with their export house sending rugs all around the world. Although Ayush never studied design, he grew up surrounded by rugs and developed an affinity for the craft. “It’s funny to think that many Indians travel to countries like Turkey and the UAE to buy rugs when the majority of carpets are made in India and then exported out” mentions Ayush, who noticed this phenomenon. He wanted to cut out such wasteful re-exporting, and instead, sell beautiful, designer rugs at affordable prices in India. This led to Cocoon Fine Rugs, which has outlets in Bangalore, Bombay and Calcutta and is the first choice for interior designers when it comes to buying unique, artistic carpets for discerning clients.



Ayush Choudhary

Cocoon Fine Rugs not only designs its own rugs but collaborates with other artists for designs, which has given rise to a new way of thinking that likens a rug to art or fashion. Ayush believes that rugs are an important component of one's home décor and can change the mood of a room instantly. Cocoon Fine Rugs has worked with Fashion Designer Varun Bahl, Interior Designer Rooshad Shroff and most recently, Architect Ashiesh Shah. “These collaborations have done very well for us and I think people are not thinking of rugs as their parents or grandparents did, [using them] as floor coverings that were more a necessity than desire and could remain in place for 10-15 years.” Says Ayush, “We are now seeing homeowners take a serious interest in home design and in good quality, contemporary furnishings.”



Rug Collection from Cocoon Fine Rugs



“Design is a huge part of what we do. We have new collections being created all the time and have categories as varied as modern classical , transitional and even antiques,” continues Ayush, “We’re catering to a huge audience, essentially anyone who is setting up his or her home, regardless of the aesthetic, because we have something for everyone.” The brand pushes itself in terms of design and is not afraid to take chances. This has proved to be a winning formula for Cocoon as it continues to evolve and expand as a brand.

Rooshad Shroff collection for Cocoon Fine Rugs



Varun Bahl collection for Cocoon Fine Rugs

Ashiesh Shah colleciton for Cocoon Fine Rugs

The company works with over 7,000 artisans who have been with the company since inception and with the parent company for even longer. The families who work with Cocoon Fine Rugs have learnt their skills from their parents as did their parents before them. Weaving is a craft that is passed down through generations but is not seeing many new entrants. Being in an incredibly labour intensive industry, Ayush is aware that the younger generation is not interested in weaving and wants to either move to city centres or work in more lucrative jobs. Ayush tell us that “Many of our weavers actually prefer weaving the modern and contemporary designs as opposed to more traditional carpets, because those are generally more labour-intensive and pay them higher. Unfortunately, the demand for traditional Indian rugs is dying and with it, that entire skill set and knowledge base.”



Artisans



“When it comes to trends and buying habits in India, beyond design, people are interested in texture. We make rugs out of wool, silk, jute and leather so we are fully aware of what people are looking for. This play with texture gives us the ability to create new styles and aesthetics that have never before existed in India,” responds Ayush, when asked about what he has seen in the Indian market in the past few years. It is clear that to be a successful brand in the home design space, among others, the key is to continue to evolve and grow - something Cocoon Fine Rugs has got down to an art.

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