Gan

For almost 40 years and under the management of José Gandía-Blasco (father of José Antonio, current president of the company), this activity did not change and it enjoyed considerable success. At it’s peak Gandia Blasco had more than 100 employees, all of them coming from Ontinyent and the surrounding towns.

In the mid-1980s this branch of the business began to show signs of fatigue, mainly due to the strong competition coming from the international markets that produced at lower costs and with higher quality. The company was forced to make a strategic turn to overcome the situation.

José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales took on more responsibilities in the company, and saw the need for a change. Under the premise of modernising the company, both with regards the brand and the products offered, José A. enlisted the help from designers Marisa Gallén and Sandra Figuerola from the design studio La Nave in Valencia.

They designed the current logo of the company: a cute, stylised kitten, an animal that looks for comfort at home. The involvement of Gallén and Figuerola was also extended to the design of carpets. The first collections recovered the use of the old looms with a new material derived from cotton, and the result of countless experiments.

New, modern products were created; reversible, with colourful patterns on one side and plain on the other. A third designer, Lina Vila, created a line of children’s carpets which quickly became famous throughout Europe and was a big success. In 1990, the redesigning of the firm, the logo and the products received the Impiva Award for Innovation. This award provided the company with a major boost, since it was the first sign of evolution in their philosophy.

During the years to follow, the brand settled in the textile market due to the exclusiveness and innovation of their designs: carpets with borders, with patterns, hand-woven, with original shapes. The production was almost exclusively domestic and it was carried out on traditional looms. The success of the carpets led to the creation of other products, such as sheets, duvet covers, bedspreads, fabrics and cushions.

In more recent years the diverse rug collection is produced under the brand of GAN. These Gan rugs come in hand tufted and hand knotted varieties, standard and custom sizes, with designs influenced by a multitude of cultures including Persian, Arabic and Mediterranean. With an aggressive championing of talented and leading designers, each rug is meticulously created by hand in India in carefully and responsibly managed workshops and has a unique, playful character without compromising quality or expectation. Creating each of these Gan rugs by hand gives every rug a unique character without comprising quality.

Collaborating with leading designers such as Patricia Urquiola, Sandra Figuerola, Mario Ruiz, Odosdesign, Pablo Girones, Jose Gandia, Enblanc, Francesc Rife, Nendo, Marie Mees and Jean-Marie Massaud, they continue to rouse emotions through innovative design and fresh products.

The Kilim collection by Sandra Figuerola displays intricately woven geometric designs that add a focal point to a variety of spaces. These visually striking pieces use warm hues and flattering color tones to create a cheerful and masterfully crafted tapestry. Canada, Arabesco, Catania and Palermo are among the most popular designs in this well priced and reversible range of Gan rugs. Figuerola is also behind the brand new range of chain-stitched rugs Goyescas.

Being the first of its kind, the hand knitted Mangas collection by Patricia Urquiola revolutionised the rug industry. It’s an exceptional design from a unique designer revealing her many facets. Mangas is Spanish for sleeves, and you can see how Campana, Globo and Farol almost resemble oversized knitted patterns for making jumpers! Since its release the range has expanded to Mangas Naturals, Mangas Mini and Mangas Space; a set of multi-purpose modules, cushions and poufs. Another famous design by Urquiola is the Flower rug.

The Canevas collection designed by Charlotte Lancelot, revisits the classical techniques of cross stitch. Carpets, poufs and cushions are made using a perforated soft felt base with interwoven threads of wool in a range of colors.

The Trenzas collection is made from wool and cotton on manual looms. This braided collection displays nature in a pure form while evoking comfort and quality.