The venerable Swedish shirtmaker Eton has been in operation for close to a century now, during which time it’s made plenty of, well, shirts. It only recently dipped its toes into the slightly less formal t-shirt category. But now, the house is shifting gears in the interest of sustainability, creating a series of limited-edition rugs made entirely of scraps from its production process.
The venture marks the brand’s first collaboration with Sëbou, a carpet brand that counts sustainability as one of its core values. Sëbou designs its carpets in Sweden and they’re all handmade by artisans in Morocco. Its collection with Eton proves no exception—each rug is made of over 1,000 different shirt colors and patterns, all knotted together in Kenitra, a city in northwest Morocco.
A closer look. atone of Eton’s rugs, which are made in collaboration with Sëbou. Photo: Elin Jenjila Franzén
The partnership makes sense for both manufacturers. Fabric scraps are a natural result of Eton’s process, but most of the time, they’re placed in storage or in its archives rather than woven together into something new. Sëbou, meanwhile, regularly uses textile byproducts in its rug designs, purchasing them in bulk from countries like Ghana, Morocco and Sweden.
“We owe it to ourselves and the future to strive towards a more environmentally friendly lifestyle,” said Omar Marhri, the creative director of Sëbou, in a statement. “As a design company, trends have an inherent challenge: they have their peaks, and eventually get replaced by the next trend. Our focus has always been to do the opposite: to make one-of-a-kind, timeless pieces made from materials that are recycled and upcycled and can live for a long time.”
A closer look at one of the carpets, which consists of over 1,000 different shirt colors and patterns. Photo: Elin Jenjila Franzén
The Eton rugs are limited in quantity and can be purchased in two sizes, one 94” by 67” (for $3,000) and another 118” by 79” (for $4,150). Those looking to spruce up their homes with a bit of upcycled design can snag one either at Sëbou’s new pop-up shop at the Nordiska Kompaniet department store in Stockholm or on the brand’s website. The carpets can be customized with different colors and patterns based on the client’s preference. And if the longevity and softness of Eton’s shirts is any indication, they’ll be made with high-quality textiles no matter what you choose.
