CMI wins Magnificent Carpets Award from AmericasMart

-- Home Textiles Today, 2/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

Pawtucket, R.I. —

Braided rug and home accessory manufacturer cmi (Colonial Mills Inc.) came in as a winner of a 2010 AmericasMart America’s Magnificent Carpets award for its 100% Eco-Natural Wool rug entry to the bi-annual contest.

The honor marks the sixth time cmi has won the award.

Eco-Natural’s award falls under the power-loomed $400 to $1,000 category in the contest. The sustainable rug is made of 100% undyed wool with a 3/37 yarn size into a three-ply yarn in a double-braid construction. The company combines three separate three-piece flat braids, braiding them together to create a single larger and thicker hefty braid.

The designs are contemporary geometrics that come in two colorways – light gray and natural. Sizes range from 2-by-3 to 12-by-15, and cmi also offers coordinating accessories, including chair pads, trivets, rug slices, stair treads and baskets.

The winning rug has other special attributes to the family-run manufacturer.

“This is…the first winner that was designed by my daughter and our manager of product development and design, Meredith Thayer,” said Donald Scarlata, president and ceo of cmi. “There are not many other home accent products more synonymous with America than braided rugs so having our rugs recognized by AmericasMart makes a lot of sense, especially in this economy.”