Dallas Entrepreneur Sydney Harrell Transforms Homes With Her Ethically-Sourced Rug Company

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Rugs are one of those things that you don’t realize make the room until they’re obviously missing or done incorrectly. When it comes to rugs, there are so many things to consider — beyond colors, one must consider patterns, sizes, placements, and motifs. But, not to fear, Dallas entrepreneur and mom, Sydney Harrell, is here to help. From a cozy home to a sophisticated office to a luxurious retail space, Harrell and her company, DFW Textile Sourcing, bring design dreams to life.

“Before launching DFW Textile Sourcing, I found myself replacing rugs once every one to two years, which meant the ‘cheap’ rugs were getting expensive,” says Harrell. “The rugs I was ordering online or finding in big box stores were plastic or viscose blends, which are full of chemicals and VOCs. Not to mention, they were hard to clean and soaked up any spill like a sponge.”

Harrell says she looked everywhere for quality rugs in custom colors, but couldn’t find anything with a reasonable price point and also ethically made. After a copious amount of reading and research, she began testing different looms in India and Turkey and eventually was able to design her own dining room rug.

“Designing one rug turned into six more in my house, and I quickly found out that family, friends, and friends of friends needed my help, too,” she says. “One Saturday in December 2021, I had six different women in my living room looking at sample rugs, and I knew I was on to something!”

Thus, like all good ideas, DFW Textile Sourcing was born out of a need. A need for a high-quality, safe, attractive, ethically-made, and customizable rug.

“Wool is the original performance fiber since it’s naturally stain-wicking, as well as mold and mildew resistant,” explains Harrell. “That means our DFW Textile Sourcing rugs are perfect for busy homes with children and pets, just like mine. I have a two-year-old daughter, another baby on the way, and a 14-year-old dog, so I can personally attest to the durability of our Modern Oushaks. Plus, of course, it’s nice knowing that I’m not bringing harsh chemicals or microplastics into my home!”

DFW Textile Sourcing’s Modern Oushaks are completely customizable, not only when it comes to color selection, but in design and size as well. Harrell can do any size from 1 x 1.6 feet to 20 x 32 feet and says no project is too big or too small. She has also invested in the same software the big looms use to design complex patterns, and she does her own CAD renderings in-house. This means she can make the most intricate, nuanced changes to any design, such as shrinking the leaves in a floral motif or even swapping out the background of a rug with a Greek Key pattern. 

“The sky is the limit and I work hard to make sure my clients are getting exactly what they want,” says Harrell. “Although my prices are significantly less than others, these are still investment pieces that should last for many years.”

When it comes to her clients, Harrell sells the majority of her rugs to designers through trade partnerships, and the designers she works with love the ability to fully customize their projects. But, she’s also able to work directly with consumers on personal home projects. 

Regardless of who her client is, quality and ethics are at the center of all Harrell does.

“I’ve built relationships with the best looms in the business to negotiate outstanding price points and shipping rates for my clients without sacrificing quality,” she says. “My rugs are 100 percent wool and dyed using only natural dyes, which means there aren’t any harmful chemicals or VOCs.”

Harrell says they’re also crafted the “old-fashioned way,” one Turkish Knot at a time, using traditional methods and ethical labor. Her company only partners with manufacturers who employ seasoned artisans, ensuring there is never unsafe or child labor.

DFW Textile Sourcing now offers access to an extensive palette of over 2,000 wool tones and more than 30 custom rugs on the loom at any time, shipping nationwide and internationally. Harrell just shipped two large rugs to Barbados for a client’s beach home. And, they offer some of the industry’s fastest turnaround times, with most rugs being delivered within eight to ten weeks with free shipping.

“I’ve seen the transformative power a rug can have in a space,” Harrell explains. “Even a pattern that’s subtle and muted can add a layer of warmth to a room like nothing else can. I’m so thrilled I can share that ‘new rug’ feeling with everyone who orders from DFW Textile Sourcing.”