Claire Murray

-- Home Textiles Today, 2/26/2001 12:00:00 AM

Ascutney, VT

In the mid-1980s Claire Murray set off to China, armed with her yarns and designs, to "revive the art of rug hooking."

Fifteen years later, Murray now manages her small empire of assorted home and apparel goods, all founded on the successes of her woven area rugs.

All Claire Murray rugs are imported "from many plants in many villages" in China and most are handmade, selling at upscale retail venues.

"All my rugs are made by hand. I taught them how to make them, to hook them, and now I work with several plants to produce them," Murray said.

Murray's licensing division, which is three years old, works with manufacturers like Oriental Weavers of America and Brumlow Mills to produce machinemade polypropylene rugs for mass retail.