Voluntari, Romania
How did Made With Love Romania begin? Was there a personal or family story behind the project?
I grew up in the countryside, for the first 7 years in my maternal grandmother’s house, surrounded by traditions and customs, just as she had inherited them from generation to generation. In the summer, wool was prepared and dyed, I still have the smell of dyed wool in my olfactory memory, and in the winter, the loom was placed in the middle of one of the rooms and colorful rugs were woven. My childhood was colorful, creative, with many stories, with participation in various local gatherings where such crafts were shared.
The seeds were probably always there in my soul, they just needed a second to appear. And suddenly, it happened, I saw an oriental carpet in an exhibition in Paris and I wanted to do something also for our Romanian carpets which are also very beautiful and deserve all the attention. And this is how Made With Love Romania began!
When you select a rug, what makes it special to you? (the pattern, the family story, the region, the colours…)
There are few aspects that make a vintage handwoven carpet very valuable. The older the rug, the closer it is to traditional village life, before industrial weaving or modern influences changed the patterns and colors. An old carpet tells a story about how people lived, what they valued, and how they expressed beauty. Older carpets were entirely handwoven with natural fibers and dyes, often using techniques passed down for generations. Their irregularities, fading, or wear are signs of genuine craftsmanship, not flaws.
The patterns, sometimes simple, sometimes very exquisite, also give value and charm to a carpet. A very exquisite carpet, with many colours and elements, such as those with floral design or with sceneries, will be more appreciated. But those simple, that families used to have on beds, walls or floors can also be beautiful additions to our collection and to any modern house as well.
When we can, we try to have more information about the origin of any carpet, the women who made it, the techniques used in that region, the significance of the motives. For us and also for our community, the story behind makes a carpet unique and with peerless value.
Many of the rugs you collect come from dowry chests. What does it mean to you to bring these pieces back into contemporary homes?
Yes, it is true! Traditionally, for every young woman the family used to prepare a dowry. The preparation started many years before, and the girl, a bride to be, was involved in the process together with the rest of the family, to prepare the goods to receive as a dowry to her future wedding. The carpets were an important part of the dowry, and the number, quality and complexity of them was a sign of how wealthy the family was.
To bring them back to contemporary homes is a special moment, as it means their journey and stories may be continued.
How do you collaborate with the communities and artisans in the villages? What kind of relationship has developed over time?
Traditionally, years ago, in every house there would be a loom where, in the winters, the women from that house were weaving rugs and other textiles for the family clothing and also for the house. The most used material was wool, Romania has tradition in shepherding. Hemp and cotton were also used and, for the delicate fabrics, silk from their own production.
The tradition is almost extinct but there are still few ateliers and also women working using traditional techniques and hopefully our activity will help them as well to keep the light on and the tradition alive.
What are the main challenges today for the people who still weave or preserve these traditions in Romania?
The people who still weave or preserve traditional carpet-making in Romania face several major challenges, mainly due to fast fashion, industrialisation and changing lifestyle, but also the scarcity in artisans and the lack of willingness in learning this technique.
Many master weavers are elderly, and younger generations are less interested in continuing the craft. Weaving is time-consuming and not very profitable, so few apprentices are willing to learn the skills. Handmade rugs take weeks or months to make, but the market often prefers cheap, factory-made carpets. It’s hard for artisans to earn a living that reflects the true value of their work.
Looking ahead, what would you like to achieve in order to help protect and continue this heritage?
Better visibility and promotion would help enormously. Traditional Romanian carpets are not only works of art but also living pieces of history, carrying within them centuries of skill, symbolism, and regional identity. Beyond their aesthetic beauty, they tell stories about the communities, beliefs, and ways of life that shaped them. I truly hope that more people will come to appreciate their cultural and emotional depth, and that these carpets will find their way into more homes, not just as decorations, but as meaningful connections to heritage and craftsmanship.
