InnerAsia Rugs

Why Vermont

For Manhattan-centric urban dwellers, trading a Manhattan showroom for one in the little town of Bridgewater, Vermont, would be unthinkable. However, for those who have discovered the special beauty of Vermont, the reasons for moving InnerAsia here—both aesthetic and strategic—are obvious, and relate to almost every important aspect of life. I think a brief introduction to our new showroom in old Vermont will help you appreciate why we were drawn here.

The Bridgewater Woolen Mill is a gem of Vermont architecture, listed in the National Register of Historic Places. We are located on the first and third floors of this landmark wooden structure, with all its architectural details intact, including rustic hand-hewn beams that soar to high ceilings in a Spartan yet church-like space. The aged, rich, lanolin wooden floors not only frame our rugs beautifully, but remind one of old oak barrels containing fine aged wines and cognacs.

These details are highlighted by the light through the original windows, as if to illuminate earlier times in Vermont. One highlight of the Mill’s proud history is its production of woolen blankets during the Civil War! More than a half century later, the Mill was taken over by the Navy to produce blankets during the First World War. During the 1880s, when the Mill was owned by F.S. MacKenzie, a leading citizen of nearby Woodstock, its woolen products with the F.S. MacKenzie signature rivaled the finest goods from English and Scottish mills. Right up until 1900 Vermont was producing fine wool in quantities, and the annual shearing was an important source of income to many Vermont farmers. In a good year, annual sales of the Bridgewater Woolen Mill amounted to $2,000,000 and its payroll reached around $400,000. Unfortunately, the Mill fell on hard times and had to close as a woolen mill on June of 1967.

Now, however, through a quirk of history and some very intriguing karma, woolen products are again a featured product at the Bridgewater Woolen Mill. After an absence of four decades, the tradition of offering the finest woolen products has been revived, carried on by InnerSanctuary and its parent company, InnerAsia. Although InnerAsia’s Gangchen carpets are woven in distant Tibet, the proud heritage of excellence in wool craft is the same. And although the weavers may be Tibetan, the tradition of a making a positive social and economic impact on an indigenous community remains the same. All of us at InnerAsia/Inner- Sanctuary, as well as our artisans and weavers in Tibet, are honored to carry on the tradition of wool craft at the Bridgewater Woolen Mill. Our vision and commitment to be a socially responsible business enterprise both in Vermont and Tibet will endure.

We would like to extend our hospitality to our designers and retail partners and invite them to visit us in our new showroom at the Bridgewater Woolen Mill. Here we can discuss creative ways to grow our partnerships in the relaxed atmosphere of the Mill and the beautiful Vermont countryside. There are many fine restaurants and charming inns in which we can host you, and you can enjoy a stress-free respite from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I am certain that the visit will be rejuvenating both for you and for our business together.

We appreciate the Governor for his support at the grand opening ceremony on August 20th, 2005, and we thank all our friends who came to the Mill to celebrate this auspicious occasion.