Couristan's custom carpet business has become a driver of revenue for the 95 year old company. Shown, custom carpet in Hilton Americas-Houston public space

FORT LEE, N.J. -- Couristan celebrates 95 years and company leaders George G. Couri, chairman, and Ronald J. Couri, president and CEO, say its residential and custom carpeting divisions have grown to become major revenue source.

“Our custom carpeting division has proven to be an incredibly valuable asset in recent years and has become the biggest part of our business," said George Couri, who heads the contract and hospitality division. "Our production capabilities combined with our expert staff of designers, technical and quality assurance teams, as well as senior management has enabled us to maintain the highest-levels of design, value and customer service.” 

Furthermore, since introducing its first residential carpets in the 1950s, the company's residential broadloom products have continued to grow and today that segment of the business includes 200 products within its Premiere, Purity and Creations brands. Construction offerings include Axminster, Wiltons, hand-loomed, tufted and structured flatweaves.

“Consumers are no longer looking at carpet as a functional floor covering, but as a way to enhance the beauty of their home and to help communicate a unique sense of personality and style,” Couri said. “The unparalleled breadth of designs, colors and textures offered in our residential carpet assortment is a reflection of the importance we place on color forecasting, design and construction analysis, as well as our ability to globally source the best products at the best prices for the consumer.”


Couristan debuted its first power-loomed area rug collection, Kashimar, in 1961, which became its best-selling collection and continues to offer classic Persian designs. Shown, Imperial Baktiari
 
About a decade later, in 1961, Couristan’s power-loomed area rug division debuted with the introduction of the company’s most celebrated and best-selling area rug collection, Kashimar. Through its technological weaving advancements, the company was able to produce a power-loomed collection inspired by original handmade Oriental and Persian designs at a fraction of the cost, bringing “affordable luxury” to consumers. Couristan portfolio of power-loomed are rugs now boasts more than 25 collections, imported from such countries as Belgium, China and Turkey.

At about the same time of the Kashimar collection roll out, Couristan's success in the residential broadloom category prompted the company's entry into the contract marketplace in the 1960s, growing its capabilities to include custom woven electronic jacquard Axminsters, custom woven Wiltons, custom hand-tufted rugs, high-definition ColourOptics Injection Print and custom machine-tufted carpets.


Couristan's residential broadloom program has grown to be one of the company's growth drivers. Shown, Downtown
 
And in 2003, the company introduced the ground-breaking Recife collection, specifically designed to endure the “great outdoors,” and proved a turning point for the company. Recife, which continues to be a popular foundational range for Couristan, is power-loomed of 100 percent Courtron polypropylene, UV stabilized, mold and mildew resistan. Today, the company offers a vast assortment of cutting-edge indoor/outdoor area rug collections, representing over six dozen SKUs, and leads the industry as an innovator of this widely successful category.


Outdoor area rugs, first introduced to the market in 2003, were a turning point for the company and have become a cornerstone of Couristan's business. Shown, Monaco

COURISTAN: THE EARLY YEARS


In 1926 brothers Basil J. Couri and George J. Couri founded Couri Bros. in New York importing fine area rugs from Persia.

Founded in 1926 by brothers Basil J. Couri and George J. Couri and originally named Couri Brothers, the company began operating in New York City by importing fine handmade area rugs from Persia. According to Ron Couri, the CEO and president of Couristan, Inc., importing area rugs from Persia was a difficult task. As a child, he would listen to his father and uncle tell stories of their travel adventures. The journey began by ship to England, then a second vessel to the continent. Once in Europe, they would board the Orient Express and then drive through the desert to Persia. The entire trip took 32 days.

The first area rugs the company imported were Sparta rugs from Smyrna, an ancient city that is now part of Turkey. Right from the start, the company began affixing “Couristan” trademark labels to the back of imported rugs. This label was composed from the family’s surname “Couri” and the frequently used suffix “stan,” referring to the region of small weaving villages from where the rugs were imported.

The name “Couristan” became widely popular and by 1927 the company broadened its horizons importing handmade area rugs from India. Shortly thereafter, it incorporated under the name Couristan, Inc.

Despite the Great Depression, Couristan continued to expand and in the 1930s the company began importing hand-hooked rugs from China and hand-braided rugs from Japan. According to Ron Couri, “From the 1930s through the 1960s, Couristan was regarded as one of the country’s largest importers of Japanese braided rugs. Our extensive design development created a substantial marketplace for handmade Oriental area rugs.”

"Since its establishment over nine decades ago, Couristan and its entire team has dedicated itself to a universal commitment of excellence," the company stated. "Weaving four key components into every product – Trust, Style, Quality and Innovation – Couristan has earned its place as one of the most highly regarded companies in the floor covering industry."

About Couristan

Couristan, a leading area rug and broadloom manufacturer, offers a vast assortment of exclusively designed power-loomed and handmade area rugs, as well as quality residential broadloom and custom contract carpeting. Couristan is also known throughout the industry as the pioneer in new construction and color techniques. Couristan products are available through department stores, home furnishings catalogs, specialty floor covering and furniture retail stores. Couristan’s global headquarters with full showroom is located in Fort Lee at Two Executive Drive, 800.223.6186. For more information, visit www.couristan.com.