Meet Armadillo Co
Meet Armadillo & Co.
The brainchild of Australian friends Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst, Armadillo & Co was born out of a desire to work with Indian artisans helping them to earn a sustainable income and rebuild their lives post the 2001 devastating earthquake. Collaborating with local craftspeople, Armadillo & Co began creating traditional textiles and making beautiful, high-quality floor coverings for the Australian market.
“Our product has tactile and visual appeal, similar to the armored shell of an armadillo, inviting touch and further examination thanks to the sumptuous softness underfoot derived from using natural materials, and the intricate patterns and rich textures from handmade knots and weaves,” says Jodie.
Beyond the beautifully woven one-of-a-kind fabrics, Armadillo & Co is a collaboration with a deep interest and commitment to sustainability and fair trade practices. “At Armadillo & Co, our rugs lie lightly on this earth. We strive to minimize our impact on the environment by making sure all areas of our business and our products meet the highest standards of sustainability, ethical trade and social responsibility.” Enhancing the lives of the underprivileged communities throughout India is at the heart of the thriving business and expressed in the philanthropic arm of the company, Armadillo & Co Foundation which sponsors the elementary school Kantilal Vidya Mandir School.
Consistent with their ethos, the rugs of Armadillo & Co are all made of natural or recycled materials. Every step of crafting the floor coverings from the dyeing and the spinning to the weaving and finish is completed by hand using traditional techniques that have been handed down through generations.
“As a result, each rug is one-of-a-kind and full of soul, like a modern heirloom”.
Jodie, together with her cinematographer husband, relocated to LA from Australia ten years ago. Not only did this move allow Jodie’s husband to expand his career, it also allowed the couple to immerse themselves in LA’s exciting art and design scene. This has helped Armadillo & Co to grow their brand organically in the US, now opening a flagship store alongside Eco Outdoor in Beverly Hills. “Australia and California have a lot of similarities – both of our aesthetics are dictated by the climate, relaxed lifestyle and love for indoor/outdoor living – so this was a natural evolution.”
For Jodie, establishing Armadillo & Co has been a journey of passion; one where she has learnt a lot of lessons along the way. “The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is to surround yourself with the right people. You need to love and believe in what you do – but also who you do it with. I’ve been so fortunate to have Sally as a business partner and an incredible team who believe in what we do.”
Armadillo & Co aim to preserve the traditional craft that is passed down for generations. In the process, they’ve created unique products that are rich in authenticity and quality.
“We believe that when someone finds something that they really love, they build an emotional connection to it.”
When you stop by our Beverly Hills showroom, be sure to explore Armadillo & Co’s new space to see their divine handcrafted rug collection.
For more stories and insights into Eco Outdoor and our L.A. store, take a look at our latest newspaper ‘An Outdoor Life’. A digital copy can be found here.