About Us
About
ima Design
The seed
It was a natural progression into hand-knotted rugs for IMA as she grew up with her grandmother who was talented and highly skilled in creating rugs from wool and other forms of recycled fabric from the home. She was well-known in the community and was often asked by other women to help them make and set up a loom. Her work was fascinating and the entire village appreciated what she did.
Having taken early inspiration from her Grandmother, IMA then embarked on an Interior Design degree at the University of the Arts in London. Eventually, she found herself working closely with other designers, with the goal of keeping her Grandmother's craft alive.
The Blossom
IMA places a focus on helping artisans located in rural and remote areas of Morocco by providing them with the support they need as well as work. With the experience of visiting these areas and conversing with these women, she recognised that they are facing several problems. Many women wanted to work from home because of their remote location and they wanted to develop and learn so they could also utilise their creativity and design stunning goods. However, the most prominent problem they faced was spending money to purchase the materials that they would need to make their goods. They would then need to transport their designs to bazaars across cities while only getting paid once their items had sold. It seemed unfair that they were facing these challenges so IMA chose to empower these women.
These women who work with IMA are now working with designers and are regularly provided with the materials they need to continue their craft.
Types of Rugs
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Ima offers six styles of handmade rugs:
Hand Knotted Rugs - This is one of the most authentic and oldest methods of producing rugs. Through weaving by hand on a loom, every individual yarn is tied individually. They are made in a way that provides durability while the pile can be both short or long. It’s also possible to choose the thickness of wool.
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Flat Weave Rugs - Also known as hanbel, the wool is woven together by hand on the loom, creating a durable and strong flat finish. This makes it suitable for areas that experience a lot of traffic such as hallways or dining rooms.
A combination of the two - This brings together the qualities of both hand knotted rugs and flat weave rugs. This means that they are unique in design and offer a durable finish but a welcoming feel that delivers soft and cost qualities.
Bou Charwit - This is one of the oldest styles of Moroccan rugs and are commonly found in the Barber regions of the country. They are made by weaving by hand on a loom
Knotted Bou Charwit - Each individual strip of fabric is tied to the loom which creates a soft pile that can be either short or long, creating a unique texture. It’s also possible to flat weave a bou charwit with the long cut strips being woven together to create a flat finish that is strong and durable. Depending on the finish, it’s possible to intrude texture than can enhance the depth and warmth. This is made using recycled clothing or fabrics.
Bespoke Bou Charwit - The bespoke service is provided by Ima and enables you to have your own rug produced. For more information, please get in touch.
Texture and Materials
Each rug produced at Ima is made using wool and cotton because of their durability. They are also excellent materials for retaining warmth while also adding depth and comfort to any space.
Rug Backing
Every rug is made using wool and this can help to prevent them from sliding on wooden or hard floors. Despite this, we would recommend that you use carpet underlay which is purchased separately. This will prevent further movement and will also prevent the rug from creasing, allowing it to keep its shape and soft feel.
