Family-run rug specialist Think Rugs is celebrating 30 years in business, marking three decades of growth from a small family start-up into a modern B2B operation supporting more than 1,000 retailers across the UK and Ireland, including Dunelm, Next, Argos, ASDA and Furniture Village.
Founded by Gary and Diane Tippett, the business is now led by their son Sam alongside his wife Steph, with Gary and Diane still actively involved.
From its early days operating from a small warehouse, Think Rugs has grown into a 40,000+ sqft operation, offering more than 2,500 product options across its own collections and licensed brands.
To mark the milestone, Think Rugs is putting two of its latest wool collections, Arcadia and Quartz, front and centre. Arcadia pays tribute to traditional flat-weave artistry, while Quartz combines 100% wool with a clean, tailored flat-weave finish designed to work across both classic and contemporary interiors. Together, the collections form a key part of Think Rugs' 30th anniversary celebrations.
“Reaching 30 years in business is a proud milestone for our family and the entire Think Rugs team,” says Sam Tippett, director at Think Rugs. “From the early days of my dad driving his own van to Belgium to buy rugs directly from manufacturers, Think Rugs has grown into one of the UK’s leading rug suppliers, but the principles we built the business on haven't changed – strong relationships, trust, quality and exceptional service.
“Three decades in the industry has given us a real understanding of what our retail partners need, and that continues to shape how we develop the business today. As we celebrate 30 years, we’re incredibly grateful to the retailers and partners who have grown alongside us.”
The company's operations have evolved significantly over three decades. What began with handwritten invoices and warehouse picking sheets is now a highly digitised B2B operation, holding more than 100,000 rugs in stock and providing the infrastructure, expertise and tools designed to make working with Think Rugs as straightforward and reliable as possible.
Orders are typically picked within 30- 60 minutes of entering the system, with same-day dispatch available for in-stock orders received before 2pm and a fulfilment rate of more than 99%. Think Rugs can also integrate its ERP system directly with retailers’ own ordering systems, helping partners streamline the process from order through to fulfilment.
Alongside its core collections, Think Rugs continues to grow its portfolio of licensed interiors and lifestyle brands, with current partners including Catherine Lansfield, Clarke & Clarke, Harlequin, Scion and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
The next phase of growth will see further collections from Joules, Sophie Robinson and the William Morris Society join the portfolio, alongside an additional British heritage brand set to be revealed in the coming months. Approximately 350 new Think Rugs SKUs are also currently in development, supported by continued investment in its B2B platform and retailer services.
