Reports on firms and brands

Rugs have been woven and highly valued for thousands of years. They tell a story, they serve a function, they look beautiful, and they can last for hundreds of years. And in centuries to come, there will no doubt be a thriving market for what will, by then, be the exquisite antique rugs of NOW Carpets.

Arlex is proud that its new catalogue launched this year offers superb design and quality at some of the most competitive prices in the sector. The collection features pieces from leading independent designers including Odosdesign, CrousCalogero and Josep Turell, all of which show how design-led the Arlex brand is.

The company Naturtex was founded in 1997 in Crevillent, a town in the province of Alicante that’s in the Valencian region of southeastern Spain that is closely associated with the textile industry. But its origins go back to the early 1960s, to a company called Artesa which made traditional sisal baskets – an embryonic version of Naturtex.

Sellex was founded in San Sebastian in 1977, and, to start with, focused on manufacturing designer office furniture and equipment. Having tried out different ideas and strategic decision-making, the company has evolved from having a strong emphasis on marketing to being one of Spain’s most internationally prestigious manufacturers of furniture for public spaces today.

Ask people what they think of modern furniture and the answer is invariably that it looks great but it’s too hard to sit on for any length of time.

Cosmic was founded in Barcelona in 1985 as a manufacturer of bathroom accessories. Its commitment to international expansion and its partnership with Grupo Roca in 2008 have made it become one of Europe’s leading purveyors of complete bathroom ranges.