The Council was started about four years ago to promote best practices. “We do a lot to guide the industry,” Inglis says. SFC members make a public commitment to sustainability.

“It’s a continuous journey and it’s all about making the right choices in the moment,” she said, as our knowledge about green products and practices continues to grow and evolve.

To learn more, visit their website, where you can search for green designers, retailers, and manufacturers in your area.

“Her exhibit is wonderful and her new line tremendous,” says Alma Nugent of Nugent Designs. “The design is very organic and has a great look. I love how green her products are!”

Maria Letti, a journalist from Brazil, agrees. She described Barran’s aesthetic as organic and natural, making her feel “at home.”

“It’s very close to what we’re seeing in Brazil.” Letti was particularly impressed with Tilt, the Classic Rug made out of banana silk. “That’s something we should all be doing!”

Wendy G. Landau of Architectural Digest was particularly impressed with Barran’s use of texture. “I love that it’s green and sustainable. The textures are beautiful and she has a great sense of design and color.”

“She’s one of the most efficient and reliable vendors we’ve had!”

Scott Chaney of Scott Chaney Photography has been taking pictures of Barbara’s product for almost a decade.

“Barbara is one of a sparse handful of people in the industry that has the business integrity that everyone wishes everybody had.”

Gari Hill Dansky of Gari Hill Dansky Interior Design (ghddesign@optonline.net) has been working with Classic Rug for eight years. “Not only is she creative and responsive,” she says of Barran, “but she’s also reliable and as a designer; those are the qualities that we long for. She comes through, and comes through HERSELF. You don’t always get to see management with many companies, but with Classic Rug, management and your point person are one in the same. When I work with Barbara, I don’t stay up worrying at night. I’ve been doing this for 35 years and that is not typical.”

“The great thing about Barbara is that she does rugs in so many different techniques and she masters new materials,” says Judy Ross, a textile and rug designer. “She is always sourcing out interesting elements from manufacturers worldwide and I love seeing how she always finds new ways to present the knotted rug.”

Joe Bograd and his wife also stopped by to admire Classic Rug.

National Nonwoven recycles the water used during their dying process and also recycles any felt fibers they don’t feel are up to their high standard.

This autumn, Classic Rug will unveil six new pillow and ottoman designs, as well as six new art deco patterns for adults. So stay tuned!

Esther Sadowsky, allied ASID, of Charm & Whimsy, a children’s room designer, says the pillows speak to Barbara’s creativity with color and dimension, just as her rugs do!

“I wanted something bright after the winter we had!” Barran said. “I think people like it so much because of the coloration.”

She picked a coordinating blossom rug, Checkerboard, to offset Tilt on the opposite wall.

“I love the sheen of the banana silk and it’s SO sustainable. It’s biodegradable and dyed with vegetable dyes,” she says of Tilt.

Classic Rug is a member of GoodWeave, “which means there is no child labor used in the production of my rugs,” Barran says. Sixty percent of Barran’s GoodWeave membership fee goes to the school system in Nepal.

“You can’t get more perfect than hemp!” Robbins exclaims. “It will never fade or go away!” And it was a fabulous offset to his Nantucket Reds, we might add.

“I love Barbara!”

“We love Barbara,” says Eleanor Windman (center). “She turns our dreams into reality.”

On Monday we’ll be blogging live from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., so keep track of all our show activities here, and on Facebook and Twitter.

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