The Waikato Collection: Where Tradition Meets Washability

“The Waikato Collection represents the culmination of extensive research and development.”

Artful Variations

The essence of the Waikato Collection lies in its distinctive abrash dyeing process, creating gentle striations and colour shifts that catch both light and attention. Unlike the uniform appearance of mass-produced rugs, each Waikato piece carries the visual signature of handcrafted textiles – subtle variations that tell a story of craftsmanship and intention. Available in three thoughtfully developed colourways – Soft Cream, Sage, and Terracotta – the collection offers a refined palette that complements diverse interior styles while maintaining an unmistakable character that evolves with changing light throughout the day.

The abrash technique, derived from the Persian word ābrash meaning 'mottled' or 'dappled,' has historically been reserved for artisanal rug making, where variations in dye lots and hand-dyeing methods create natural inconsistencies across the surface of a textile. In the Waikato Collection, we've meticulously studied these traditional methods and developed a process that replicates their organic beauty while ensuring consistency in quality and performance. The result is a rug with depth and dimensionality that rewards close inspection – revealing subtle nuances that mass-produced flooring simply cannot achieve.

Engineered Excellence

Behind the Waikato's visual sophistication lies Double's revolutionary construction technique. While traditional abrash-dyed rugs typically require delicate handling and professional cleaning, our innovative table-tufting method inserts each wool tuft through an organic cotton canvas, secured with a specialized water-resistant binding. This construction creates independence for each tuft, allowing water to flow through during washing rather than becoming trapped between layers, resulting in a technical achievement that maintains the rug's structural integrity through countless wash cycles – a perfect marriage of artisanal appearance and practical engineering.

There's a beautiful simplicity to this approach. Conventional premium wool rugs with abrash effects are essentially trapped by their own construction when facing everyday challenges – their interdependent fibers vulnerable to moisture, their dense layers prone to harboring debris. The Waikato Collection, by contrast, embraces both water and wear. The medium cut pile, precisely trimmed to optimize both comfort and resilience, provides substantial texture without excessive density. Each tuft maintains its independence while contributing to the cohesive whole, creating a surface that feels sumptuous underfoot while remaining remarkably durable against daily traffic, accidental spills, and the inevitable challenges of homes where life is truly lived.

Sophisticated Simplicity

There's a particular pleasure in placing something beautiful in spaces where life happens unfiltered. The Waikato Collection's medium cut pile creates a surface both visually sophisticated and physically resilient – substantial enough to provide comfort underfoot while maintaining a profile that works beautifully in both formal and casual settings. The premium New Zealand wool naturally resists stains and soil, while the fast-drying properties mean that even after washing, these rugs return to service remarkably quickly. It's refinement redefined not as fragility, but as enduring quality that improves with use.

What truly distinguishes the Waikato Collection is how it liberates you from the typical anxiety associated with fine floor coverings. Place it in your dining room without trepidation about wine spills. Let it grace your living area without concern for coffee mishaps or muddy footprints. The combination of New Zealand wool's natural resilience and our engineered washability creates an unusual freedom – the ability to select a rug based on aesthetic preference and emotional response rather than practical limitations. When inevitable accidents occur, simply machine wash, allow to dry (typically within 12-24 hours thanks to wool's natural moisture-wicking properties), and return your Waikato to its rightful place, its abrash patterns perhaps even more characterful for having weathered real life.

The Waikato Collection represents more than a technical achievement – it embodies a philosophy that celebrates authenticity. By embracing the natural variations inherent in traditional abrash dyeing while engineering unprecedented washability, Double has created rugs that enhance rather than constrain daily living. For homes where conversations flow, where glasses occasionally tip, where pets and children are welcomed rather than cautioned, the Waikato offers an elegant solution. These are rugs designed to be part of life's narrative – gathering stories, washing clean when needed, and remaining beautifully, intentionally imperfect through it all.

The introduction of the Waikato Collection continues our commitment to thoughtful innovation that serves real needs. While the abrash dyeing technique may have ancient origins, its application in a fully washable wool rug represents something genuinely revolutionary. There's a quiet confidence in these pieces – they don't demand attention through bold statements or passing trends, but rather invite discovery through subtle complexity and enduring performance. Like the best elements in any well-considered home, they provide both practical function and aesthetic pleasure, becoming more valued with time and use. The Waikato Collection doesn't simply occupy space in your home; it creates space for living fully, without compromise or concern.