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Danielle and Tracy pay homage to the new Donegal carpet on the Battleaxe Landing. |
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Afterwards, they toured the castle, where Danielle got in
touch with her inner princess (not much of a stretch, say those who know her).
More photos from the trip can be viewed here. |
Danielle and Tracy were invited to meet with potential investors in Dublin, and while in Ireland made a trip up to the northwest coast to visit the Donegal Carpets factory in Killybegs. They're seated at one of the original Canadian pitch-pine looms from 1898, which is still in use today.
The first coup: A licensing agreement to produce rugs for the venerable Donegal Carpets company of Killybegs, Ireland.
At the National Oriental Rug Show in Atlanta, sponsored by Architectural Digest, Danielle and Tracy were joined by Michael McDaid, owner of Donegal Carpets, to support their re-introduction of the brand in the US market.
Northfield Carpets Int'l (NCI) is a proud member of RUGMARK, a global nonprofit organization working to end illegal child labor and offer educational opportunities for children in India, Nepal and Pakistan. RUGMARK does this through loom and factory monitoring, consumer labeling, and running schools for former child workers. It's a great organization that does excellent work on a very small budget, and the Davis Freud team is pleased to have a part in supporting their mission by donating a percentage of the manufacturing costs of each carpet. The RUGMARK label is the best assurance that no illegal child labor was employed in the manufacture of a carpet or rug. Visit the Rugmark website for more information and to find answers to frequently asked questions.
Like so many other things in Northfield, it all started at the Goodbye Blue Monday, where Northfield's glitterati and those with no visible means of support come to bond over lattes.
During an otherwise typical morning coffee hour in 2002, Davis and Freud were introduced by a mutual acquaintance, and the conversation quickly turned to... wool. Tracy Davis was the owner and proprietor of a retail gallery which sold antique and contemporary oriental carpets, and Danielle Freudenthal was the Vice President of Marketing for a independent woolen mill. One thing led to another, and a year later the two established a company to produce hand-knotted woolen carpets, and the Davis Freud design division was formed. The rest, as they say, is history.