Hi, I’m Jess — your Vintage Moroccan Rug Dealer!

If you’d told 20-year-old me that I’d be a rug dealer in my 40s, I’d probably have been a little confused… maybe even a little concerned. But here we are!

It all started in 2018 with a bucket-list holiday — a 10-day Moroccan retreat with a friend. As it turned out, all the other women in our group owned homewares stores, and their passion for handmade pieces — cushions, rugs, ceramics — was contagious. I’d spent over 20 years in the music and events industries, but this trip sparked something entirely new.

Back home, I started small — a batch of cactus silk cushions, a pop-up market stall, and soon, a few rugs. From there, it all grew naturally. I built my online store, returned to Morocco each year, hand-selecting every collection and learning more with every trip — slowly turning a hobby into a business and creating a beautiful community of rug lovers.

Somewhere along the way, customers began asking if they could join me on my trips. They wanted to discover Morocco, shop ‘til they dropped… and who was I to say no? That’s how our Cactusilk retreats were born.

These days, I split my time between Australia and Morocco, always on the hunt for that unicorn rug and exploring new destinations for retreats.

Thanks for taking an interest in my rug journey — I’d love to hear from you if you have any questions!