RHS and Atlantic Mats present the Bloom Collection of doormats and runners

Atlantic Mats, which designs and creates hard-wearing, eco-friendly washable doormats, has been licensed by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to produce The Bloom Collection, a range of beautiful doormats and runners using designs inspired by the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art.

The Bloom Collection features Atlantic Mats’ renowned Coir Mats and Ocean Mats ranges. Coir Mats are made in India from sustainable coconut fibre with a natural latex backing and are hand-printed. Ocean Mats are a washable indoor mat range of doormats and runners. They are made in the UK from 100% recycled PET (recycled plastic bottles) and come with a rubber backing which has 65% recycled content.

There are six designs in the Coir doormat range and two Coir runner mat designs. In the Ocean Mats range, there are six doormat-sized mats and two runners. Both the Coir and Ocean mat runners are larger, matching versions of the doormat.

The Coir range features a wide variety of florals, leaf designs and geometric patterns based on works from the RHS Lindley Collections. The Spring Flowers design, for example, uses imagery by Caroline Maria Applebee, a renowned and prolific early 19th century watercolour artist. The Wall Tile design is based on a tile from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo made by pioneering gardening design genius Gertrude Jekyll, while Duomo Milan is a grey and pink tile pattern from the marble pavement of the Duomo in Milan, drawn by Herbert Jekyll, Gertrude Jekyll’s brother. The Wisteria design, meanwhile, is taken from a Japanese collection of artworks, and the Starburst design is based on Parterre and Knot Garden styles from the 1600s and 1700s that reflect the trend for geometric design.

The Ocean Mats again feature a mix of florals, geometrics and leaf patterns. The floral patterns (Spring Garden and Flower Border) are both by Caroline Maria Applebee, while the Caption and Pathways designs are based on Knot Garden and Parterre styles. Also featured is Filigree Leaf, a Gertrude Jekyll design for wallpaper from her famous Designs for Carving scrapbook, which contains sketches, designs, notes and tracings on gardening and architectural themes.

Recycling and sustainability are also themes of this collection. Most of the materials Atlantic Mats uses for the RHS collection are waste plastics which would normally end up in landfill. The Coir Mats are made from sustainable coconut fibre.

The Bloom Collection will launch at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21 – 25 May 2024). Both ranges will be available directly from the Atlantic Mats webshop from May. The Ocean Mats will also be at high street retail from May. Target outlets will include major stores, garden centres, independent home and furnishing shops and specialist gift retailers.

And there’s much more to come! A range of indoor and outdoor rugs is planned for Spring 2025, while additions to the Ocean and Coir ranges – and further new products – will appear in 2025.

The market for the mats and runners is a wide one. Atlantic Mats products have long enjoyed a strong market among female homeowners who have an interest in gardening and interiors. However, the products also have a strong appeal to younger consumers who are seeking out sustainable home products for smaller spaces and who appreciate design-led and decorative items.

Atlantic Mats was founded by Susan Baker, who has worked in the textile industry for over 35 years, and her husband Mark in 2021 with the aim of developing sustainable, high-quality, durable homewares. Ocean Mats in particular are made from waste plastics such as recycled bottles and other plastics diverted from landfill waste. All the mats produced by Atlantic Mats are washable and designed to last. They also dry quickly.

Susan Baker, Managing Director Atlantic Mats, says: “We pride ourselves on mats that do a great job and are sustainable but also look wonderful – and few partners appreciate this more than the RHS, whose extensive collection of artwork has made the Bloom Collection as attractive and striking as it is effective and durable. We’re thrilled to be collaborating with the RHS team on this collection.”

Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, adds: “Partnering with Atlantic Mats appealed to the RHS for a number of reasons. Gardeners will appreciate these durable and washable mats. They are also good-looking and decorative, brilliantly taking inspiration from our RHS Lindley Collections artwork. But there’s more: a strong emphasis on products that are kind to the environment and sustainable. And we’re looking forward to even more great products from this collaboration in the next year!”