GoodWeave

Spotlight On: Cadrys

Edgecliff

Robert, Jessica, and Mark Cadry

When Mark Cadry of Cadrys, an Australian legacy rug company, calls himself a rug specialist, it is without a bit of exaggeration. Mark is a fourth generation rug merchant whose family legacy traces back to 19th-century Persia. “My oldest childhood memories are of rugs. My psyche is infused with the feel, look, history of rugs,” he says. For Mark, rugs are about family—his family and those of the weavers. That is most certainly why the partnership with GoodWeave^® is so important to him. “My grandfather said when you leave the world, you leave nothing but your good name. That comes down to how you treated people while you were alive,” says Mark.

Cadrys, which has been in Australia for a century (sixty years in the same heritage building), is known around the world among collectors, architects, and designers for its rare antique, classical and traditional carpets. Most recently, the company has been making its mark with one-of-a-kind contemporary designs from talents like that of the iconic and celebrated Florence Broadhurst. Mark, who studied art and graphic design, explains that the move into modern handmade, hand knotted rugs was something he had wanted to do for a long time. So when Broadhurst’s representatives approached Mark, it was, as he says, a perfect fit: “A light switched on.”

When the time came to choose a factory, Mark says the decision to work in Nepal was easy, but he visited dozens of facilities until he found just the right one for his custom production. “I needed to be absolutely sure that the person I worked with knew how to treat other people,” he says, “someone with impeccable character.”

Cadrys’ modern custom rugs—along with the company’s longstanding line of handmade traditional, tribal and classic rugs—are hugely popular. In fact, one would be hard pressed to move in stylish circles without stepping on a Cadry carpet. “Yes,” Mark admits discreetly without naming any names, “we sell to lots of movie stars and politicians.” One can, however, see Cadry rugs in venues such as the Consulate of Guam in Australia, the Sheraton in Fiji, and the Hilton in Sydney. 

However, it isn’t the celebrity that Mark Cadry and his family are after. What they want is to share with the public their passion for rugs—whether for an antique Persian Kashan or a custom hand knotted wool, silk, hemp and soy silk piece by a contemporary designer. That passion comes with a commitment to justice. “Our work goes much deeper than business. I am so happy,” Mark continues, “that GoodWeave helps us take those further steps… creating good working conditions, living standards and opportunities for education.”

Learn more about Cadrys at www.cadrys.com.au.

 

Find a retailer

Back to spotlight