Designing Izra

Since its inception, Salam Hello has worked closely with artisans to bring customers artful, hand knotted Moroccan rugs. Pieces that feel more like collectibles with heart, objects that help you feel at home rather than simply decorate it.

In 2023, Salam Hello partnered with award winning New York based interior design studio General Assembly to introduce Izra, marking a major milestone for the brand as its first external design collaboration beyond the artisans themselves.


Izra, written in Amazigh as ⵉⵣⵔⴰ, loosely translates to “weave of the day.” Each rug is the culmination of thousands of woolen knots, irregularly woven together by 25 Amazigh artisans in a village just outside of Beni M’rirt in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains.

In November of 2025, we introduced a refined and updated iteration of the collection. 

Below, we speak with General Assembly founders Sarah Zames and Colin Stief about the inspiration, process, and intention behind Izra.

Can you share a bit about General Assembly and what influences or shapes your approach to design?

With backgrounds in architecture, furniture design, and interiors, our work reflects a deeply considered approach to space at every scale. From spatial planning to custom furniture and millwork, General Assembly aims to create bespoke solutions rooted in craft, honest materials, and heirloom quality objects designed to age beautifully and elevate everyday life.


What inspired you when designing the Izra collection?

Izra was conceived as a way to tell the story of the materials and the process behind a hand knotted rug. Today, the accessibility of products can sometimes make it easy to forget just how much labor, skill, and time go into creating something by hand. With Izra, we wanted the design itself to reflect that effort.

Each rug is painstakingly hand knotted by multiple artisans seated at a loom over many days. The pattern is intentionally structured to echo that process, visually representing the rhythm, repetition, and collaboration required to complete the piece. Our hope is that by making the process visible through design, the rug forms a deeper connection with the person who lives with it, allowing it to become a true heirloom rather than a disposable object.


How did you land on the colorways for Izra? Do you have a favorite?

The original colorways were inspired by the natural pigments traditionally used in dyeing wool. We were drawn to tones that felt grounded, timeless, and deeply connected to material history. Each palette was chosen to highlight the texture and movement of the hand knotted surface rather than overpower it.

The Forget Me Not colorway has become a favorite. It’s a very soft blue that feels calm and nuanced, and it has an incredible ability to adapt. It works just as well in a quiet, neutral room as it does layered into a space with more color and contrast.


In three words, how would you describe the Izra collection?

Soft, hand-crafted, bold.

Do you see Izra rugs as more of a statement piece or a grounding element in a room?

Izra can function as either, depending on the colorway. The Indigo, Alfalfa, and Poppy versions are inherently bold and can anchor a room as a statement piece, bringing energy and contrast to a space.


The Natural colorway, on the other hand, acts as a grounding element. It’s ideal for more neutral interiors, where it adds warmth, texture, and depth without competing with other elements in the room. That flexibility was intentional. We wanted Izra to feel expressive, but also adaptable to different environments and ways of living.

Made slowly and with care, Izra is an heirloom in the making, carrying the story of its craft into everyday life.

Make yours here.