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Hug Rug Collaboration
Hug Rug x Graham & Brown brings together two fourth-generation British family businesses, decades of design expertise and a shared commitment to craftsmanship. It also started somewhere a little unusual for a brand collaboration ~ with a friendship between two people who met at university.
The result is a collection of rugs that brings our in-house designs on washable rugs for the first time, made in Britain. Here’s how it came about.
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At the heart of this collaboration are two businesses with deep roots in British manufacturing, each still family owned and into their fourth generation.
Our own story began in 1946, when Harold Graham and Henry Brown founded Graham & Brown in Blackburn, Lancashire. What started as a wallpaper manufacturer has grown into a global premium lifestyle brand, and yet the way we work hasn’t really changed. We design every collection in-house ~ wallpaper, paint, bespoke murals, soft furnishings, bed linen and wall art ~ drawing on an archive of more than 50,000 original designs gathered over eighty years. It’s a way of working that keeps us moving forward while staying true to our creative heritage.
Hug Rug comes from the same tradition. Made by Phoenox Textiles, which has been manufacturing in Yorkshire since 1954, Hug Rug is known for high-quality, sustainably made flooring produced here in the UK. Craftsmanship sits at the centre of everything they do, and generations of local families have worked at the mill over the decades ~ a sign of how firmly rooted the business is in its community, and how committed it remains to British industry.
Our products are different, but our values line up closely: a dedication to British craftsmanship, thoughtful design, sustainability, and making pieces that last.
This partnership started long before the first rug was designed.
Ellie Mosley of Hug Rug and Iona Graham first met as students at Loughborough University. They were studying different subjects ~ Printed Textiles and International Business ~ but they shared a great deal, having both grown up in family businesses in the North of England. After graduating they stayed in touch, so when Hug Rug began exploring collaborations, Ellie thought of Graham & Brown straight away.
“I’d always felt their designs would translate beautifully onto rugs.”
As it turned out, we’d been thinking exactly the same. For Iona, the opportunity felt entirely natural.
“Both brands share a similar ethos, with British craftsmanship, sustainability and a blend of heritage and contemporary design at the heart of their businesses. Bringing Graham & Brown’s beautiful in-house designs to the iconic Hug Rug was an exciting opportunity.”
It’s more than a product collaboration: two businesses connected by shared values, with a real friendship behind it.
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From the start, both teams developed the collection together, working closely so that every design felt true to both brands.
We began with our archive of in-house patterns, carefully adapting each one to work as a rug. Every detail was considered, so the rugs would sit well alongside our existing wallpapers while also holding their own as standalone pieces in a room.
The collaboration went well beyond the designs themselves. Ellie and Iona worked together throughout the creative process, from curating the collection to the campaign photography and creative direction, so the result reflects both brands equally. It’s a good example of how the different elements of a room, from walls to floors, can be designed to work together.
The designs we chose for the collaboration showcase the signature mix of florals, foliage-inspired patterns and bold statement prints that our community knows us for. Each original design has been hand-crafted by our in-house team, carrying the creativity, craftsmanship and attention to detail that make them favourites in the first place.
From lively palettes that bring energy and personality to a space, to calming neutrals that create a sense of tranquillity, there’s something here for every space ~ whether you’d like to make a statement or introduce a quieter focal point.
What makes this collaboration stand out is the people behind it. As fourth-generation members of their respective family businesses, Ellie and Iona are helping to shape the future of two established British Brands, while honouring the heritage built by the generations before them.
Their partnership also speaks to the role of women in British business and design ~ continuing two family businesses, and beginning something new led by fresh ideas and a shared creativity. It connects one British factory to another, linking Lancashire and Yorkshire through shared craftsmanship and a commitment to designing things made to last.
The Hug Rug x Graham & Brown collection shows what British design and manufacturing do well: pairing heritage with fresh thinking, and timeless style with the way we live today.
It’s built on shared values: two family businesses that care about quality, sustainability and thoughtful design.
For both of us, this is a first step: coordinated British design brought into the home, with real care for the heritage behind it. Explore the collaboration today.
Our Eco-Washable rug and runner range are machine washable, lightweight and designed to withstand the demands of busy households. Made from recycled bottles, the fibres are eco-friendly and the backing is crafted from sustainably sourced natural rubber.
