Handmade Rag Mats of Jeans

To add a new touch to the century old Swedish tradition of woven rag mats, I started weaving new rugs out of used jeans. Strong, environmentally friendly, uniquely designed carpets of top quality to decorate all types of floors. I introduce coloured stripes that bring contrast to the different shades of blue.

After having woven ‘ordinary’ rag rugs for many years, the idea sprung to use old jeans pants as rags. It turned out to be a great success! Most of the denim fabrics I recycle are worn out pants from people in my surrounding. The jeans are washed, and then seams, sippers and pockets are removed before I cut strips of the remaining cloth. These strips are woven into the well-stretched warp and packed with strong strokes. The result is a new, stable rag carpet of high quality that can be enjoyed for many, many years. Jeans rags, being made of denim that is a thick and strong fabric with many colour nuances, make both long lasting and beautiful carpets.

I weave floor carpets that are 70 -75 cm wide. All of the rag mats are one-of-a-kind, but can be more or less duplicated in any length. A selection of jeans carpets you find in our Gallery. Contact me with a stock number from the galleries or order a tailor made rag carpet by specifying the colour of the stripes and the length of you mat.

Ann-Helen Eskilsson weaver

As a little girl all the long rag rugs lying on the floor at my grand parents in Tornedalen in northern Sweden fascinated me. The dream to create my own rag carpets was born early in life, but did not become reality until much later. Since childhood, through out my whole life, I have been creating domestic crafts and decorative household utilities out of textiles. Many bed covers, potholders and table clothes have been sewn in patchwork. I also did a lot of knitting and crochet handicraft. Just recently weaving has become my main occupation, when I am not working as a schoolteacher. Now, when my three children are grown up, I wish to be able to do more weaving and less teaching.