How Merak Rugs Build a Responsible and Sustainable Business
Here at Merak, we are passionate about sustainability, minimizing waste, and doing things the right way. We believe it must be at the heart of everything we do, every decision we make, and every business relationship we build. With this goal in mind, we set out in the business of selling vintage Turkish carpets, and we knew we needed to do it differently than the rest of the fashion and design industry.
Through 15 years of working in the fashion industry, I realized that the system was broken. It exploits cheap labor in dangerous conditions in developing countries around the world. Further, it is marred by unsustainable business practices that frequently produced incredibly high levels of waste. Various high-level fashion brands, for example, were simply burning all of their unused products each year, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Not only was this reckless and uneconomical, but it was also just plain morally wrong. A broken system was accelerating down a dangerous path with no end in sight.
Instead of remaining a player in a broken system, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I sold my company in Los Angeles and returned home to Turkey. While living in Istanbul, the idea for Merak started to materialize. What if, instead of perpetuating the horrific practices of the fashion industry, I could break away, start my own business, and build it from the ground up? What if this new version could feature a product that was timeless, sustainable, and didn’t create so much excess waste? After all of this contemplation and searching, it appeared that the perfect product was right in front of me the entire time: vintage Turkish rugs and carpets.
It was here that I encountered another major opportunity. Amidst the pandemic lockdowns of early 2020 when stores and businesses were forced to close, I found myself unable to buy an authentic Turkish rug anywhere online. They were only sold in Turkish cities in traditional marketplaces, or in specialty shops elsewhere around the world. But no company was able to ship these carpets and make them available online. It was here that Merak became what we know it as today: a sustainable, responsible marketplace for authentic, vintage Turkish carpets, that sells to customers anywhere in the world.
Vintage Turkish rugs and carpets are the perfect product on which to build a sustainable, responsible business because they do not require the use of many new materials or high levels of additional labor and resource consumption. That is, since they already exist, Merak simply purchases them after ensuring their quality and authenticity, cleans them, and provides an online marketplace where people anywhere around the world can experience the brilliance and uniqueness of an authentic Turkish carpet.
Because of the handmade nature of the rugs, each one is entirely unique in terms of style, color, and texture. Each is made from 100% natural fibers and wool. Unlike mass-produced fashion items, each one of these rugs tells its own unique story. The craftspeople and artisans of Turkey place a tremendous amount of cultural importance on each rug and its quality, which has led their work to become world-renowned. Some artisans even believe that the rugs have a soul, and treat the rug as if it is a living part of our world.
Adding to the character of each rug is its average age. Most of these rugs are 60-80+ years old and continue to add to their character with each passing year. While perhaps a new-machine-made rug would begin to degrade after only a few years, Turkish carpets, because of their high-quality materials and craftsmanship, will last for many decades if they are properly cared for. After all, this is at the core of sustainability and responsibility: doing more with what we already have, rather than constantly throwing items away just to replace them every few years. Merak, then, is an essential piece of a new, better type of home decor business, one that sells a more sustainable product that is better for both consumers and the environment.
In other words, the process Merak follows is known as “upcycling”, in which older items are cleaned or redesigned before finding a new home. In this case, our rugs are not redesigned, but they are cleaned, inspected, and guaranteed authentic for our customers.
Merak is a niche, lifestyle brand that sells authentic Turkish rugs and carpets differently than the rest of the fashion industry. It does so by being responsible in the purchase of its items, sustainable in the use of its materials, and forms long-lasting business relationships that are designed to benefit all who are involved. Its designs embody the perfect compromise of style and longevity, without sacrificing waste, exploitation, and pollution. We look forward to serving you and providing top-quality, authentic, timeless Turkish rugs and carpets for many years to come.