Deckers Tapijt

Marc Deckers, owner of his family’s more than half-century-old company, is passionate about rugs and he has been since he was a child. He grew up with rugs and with the stories of the artisans who make them. Respect for the weavers, he says, is in his DNA and he wants to share their stories with his customers. That’s just one of the reasons he decided to join GoodWeave®. “I am sure with the GoodWeave label we will create even more trust from our customers.”

Although Marc left Belgium to study and later work in New York, rugs were his North Star. His face lights up as he shares memories of playing with his siblings on piles of colorful carpets and sitting on carpets with friends making weekend plans. He says he cherishes memories of endless dinner table conversations about the weavers’ lives and their far-off countries. To say he was steeped in carpet lore is an understatement: “I think it was a way of life.”

In an attempt to share that passion, Marc likens the Deckers’ giant showroom to a gallery. There potential customers can relax and stroll around among hundreds of rugs, from traditional Iranian carpets to the most modern silk and wool designs. “We want them to see the rugs themselves and get a feeling of what they really like without a salesperson walking beside them the whole time,” he says.

While the bulk of the rugs in the “gallery” are collections from other companies, Deckers does have its own bespoke line of unique designs. One of Marc’s sentimental favorites is Vieux Mur, a 100% wool piece designed by his late brother Theo and inspired by an old wall in Katmandu. The abstract silk and wool rugs from the Arti:Chique collection are favorites as well. “It has an interesting 3-D effect because the silk design is carved,” he explains. Earth Crust, another silk and wool piece in a palette of greens and beiges, is another family favorite. He points to “the mix of cool and warm tones” that seem to make it very popular with customers.

Marc says that since its founding decades ago, Deckers’ underlying principle has been to treat everyone who works with them as family.” We carry our family values to all our employees and treat people with respect. Most people don’t realize how much soul and effort and love and energy have been put into these beautiful rugs. It is valuable if people understand the passion and love that goes into a rug.”

For more information go to: www.deckerstapijt.be