Like so many innovations in the furnishings industry, the idea for a new outdoor rug and pillow line was born of necessity. Living in Corpus Christi, Texas, designer Whitney Atkinson faced a common problem in coastal settings — wind blowing outdoor pillows and rugs from their places on patios, making accessorizing a bit of a pain.
“I was on our back patio trying to uncurl a rug edge, spraying it with water and putting furniture on it, but it kept getting blown around,” Atkinson said. “And I thought, ‘There has to be a way to weigh this down.’”
That led Atkinson down a path of trial and error, looking for ways to weight the corners of her rugs without detracting from the overall look. Eventually, she landed on sewing pockets on the backside of each rug corner and inserting flat steel bars inside.
“Three days later, a huge storm came through, and our furniture, pillows, everything was blown away,” she said. “But that weighted rug was still there. I realized we might be onto something.”
Atkinson began exploring the product design and patent process, and soon launched Wugs, a play on “weighted rugs.” She began selling the rugs at home and garden shows in coastal areas and soon realized the idea could translate to other accessories.
“We have to retrieve outdoor pillows from canals and pools all the time, so why not weigh them to prevent that?” Atkinson said. “So that’s how Willows came to be.”
Still mostly selling her products at home and garden shows, Atkinson met HGTV designer Donna Moss at one of those events, who advised her to visit High Point Market to expand her brand. At the time, Atkinson was simply sourcing rugs at retail and attaching her Wugs weight system to the backs, but once she made the rounds in High Point, she realized how to properly scale the operation.
“I carried my little weighted rug around and went to every rug manufacturer I could,” she said. “And a lot of the big players agreed to let me source and add my weighted system, then relabel them as a Wug.”
Since then, Atkinson has been focused on bringing Wugs and Willows to retail. At this summer’s Casual Market Atlanta, Atkinson’s products were featured in fellow Texas-based company OW Lee’s showroom.
“We already need rugs to merchandise our showroom, so partnering with Wugs allowed us to meet that need while also showcasing a fresh, unique product,” said Leisa McCollister, vice president of marketing, OW Lee. “It adds even more value for our dealers when they visit the showroom. Showcasing products like Wugs helps specialty retailers stand apart from big-box stores, which is something we’re deeply committed to supporting.”
Atkinson said the placement in OW Lee’s showroom allowed her to connect with outdoor retailers and expand Wugs and Willows to a wider audience. At the upcoming fall Casual Market Atlanta in September, Wugs and Willows will be in the OW Lee showroom again, as well as Telescope Casual’s showroom.
McCollister said supporting Atkinson’s business not only allows companies like OW Lee and Telescope Casual to create a value-add for their dealers, but it also benefits the growth of the casual industry as a whole.
“New ideas and innovative products are the lifeblood of our industry,” she said. “Supporting emerging brands strengthens the entire ecosystem, and when the industry thrives, we all benefit.”
As Atkinson continues to grow the Wugs and Willows business, she said partnerships like those with OW Lee and Telescope Casual not only allow her to reach new customers, but also reaffirmed that her products have a place in the outdoor industry.
“It really was a validation for me and a reminder of how far we’ve come in just the past two years,” she said. “It made me feel worthy because they have such high-quality, luxury products. I met a lot of retailers, who are new friends now, and it was great.”
