Lasting Legacy

Lasting Legacy

by Mary Hegarty

We catch up with Oliver Treutlein of OT Carapets and discover that sustainability comes naturally to a man committed to creating natural products that stand the test of time – and tide, of course!

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ustainability is more than just a buzzword these days. The realisation has finally dawned that it is vital to the survival of a planet. The superyacht sector too is stepping up to the plate by offering increasingly efficient and powerful

hybrid propulsion as well as improving the recyclability of the mate-

rials used aboard yachts. However, some in the sector have always had a vocation for sustainability. Oliver Treutlein, who founded OT Carpets in Germany four decades ago, is one such individual. “I have always been a natural product enthusiast,” he confided when we spoke recently. “If you choose an OT rug or carpet, you can leave

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it to your children because it will last forever if you follow some very

ly renowned art expert and yacht and residential interior designer, se-

simple care rules. If you go for the best quality and plan your interior

lected by the Turkish government to transpose the astonishing richness

tastefully, you won’t need to change quickly. Nevertheless, if you do

of the patterns and motifs of the legendary Topkapy Sarayi palace to

decide to change one day, there are no hidden dangers in our carpets.

21st century designs. The result is the Topkapy Sarayi collection which

They are made of ethically sourced wool, of silk, of linen or bamboo.

spans just shy of 100 carpet designs, including the sumptuous deep

We choose only the best high-class colours to dye the yarn and we add

turquoise and black “Peking” carpet featured in main photograph at

some water-soluble neutral backing. And that’s all. End of story,” he

the top of this article. Despite being pared back to reveal the bones of

concludes proudly. While OT’s bespoke carpets for many of the world’s

the motifs, the designs are astonishingly lush and vibrant, with exuding

leading yards (Lürssen, Heesen, Abeking & Rasmussen, to name but a

a sense of modern yet timeless and beautifully balanced beauty. Little

very few) are well-known, one of Oliver’s most stunning bodies of work

wonder they have found homes ashore and afloat all over the world….

is a co-project with his close friend, Konrad Ellerhorst, an international-

www.olivertreutlein.com

Opposite page, top, the Peking carpet from the Topkapy Sarayi collection created by Oliver with designer, Konrad Ellerhorst.

Bottom, Oliver with his wife Elke and daughter, Julia. This page, close-ups of textures and finishes, including the Peking

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