Doing Goods is a Dutch homeware brand founded in Amsterdam, producing handmade rugs, hooks, knobs and accessories in collaboration with craftspeople in India. Every product is made according to fair trade principles using materials like wool, cotton and recycled metal. The brand is particularly known for its full-size animal rugs — tigers, leopards and zebras — hand-tufted with surprisingly detailed faces, paws and tails. No two products are entirely identical.
Doing Goods is a Dutch homeware brand based in Amsterdam that, since its founding, has insisted design and social responsibility don't have to be mutually exclusive. The products — from hand-tufted animal rugs to ceramic jars and animal-shaped hooks — are made in India by craftspeople working under fair trade conditions. This leaves a clear mark on the design: every piece is unique, the variations are visible, and the quality shows in the handiwork.
Who is Doing Goods?
Doing Goods was founded on the idea that products with a strong visual identity and responsible production can exist side by side. The brand collaborates with small workshops in India, where craftspeople use techniques passed down through generations — hand-tufting, hand-painting and casting in recycled metal.
Fair trade isn't a vague concept in Doing Goods' context. The craftspeople receive a fair wage, work under safe physical conditions, and have access to local education initiatives that the brand supports. In practice, this means the products cost a bit more than mass-produced alternatives — and they last considerably longer.
The materials are predominantly wool, cotton and recycled metal. The wool in the rugs often comes from local sources in India, and the metal parts in hooks and knobs are made from reclaimed metal rather than new raw material. Every product varies slightly in colour, shape and size because it's handmade — that's not a flaw, but a given.
Animal rugs: Art for the floor
The product Doing Goods is most associated with is the hand-tufted animal rugs in full size. The principle is simple: an animal, flat and detailed, lying on the floor — or hanging on a wall — like a tactile, harmless version of a hunting trophy.
Which animals are available?
The range shifts from season to season, but the most consistent models include tiger, leopard, zebra, flamingo, bear, lion, panda, fox, giraffe and several dog breeds. The tiger rug is historically the best-seller: a fully stretched-out tiger in orange, black and white, typically around 150-200 cm in length. The leopard is popular in pink and in the classic beige-brown version, and the zebra appeals to those who want the graphic look without colours.
The details in the faces, paws and tails are hand-tufted with a precision that surprises — the ears are three-dimensional, and the snout is modelled slightly raised from the floor. This makes them interesting both as floor rugs and as wall decoration.
Materials and care
The rugs are made from a combination of wool and cotton. The wool pile gives depth and softness, while the cotton backing stabilises the shape. Doing Goods recommends spot-cleaning with a slightly damp cloth and mild detergent — not machine washing, as this can alter the shape and set the colours.
Tip: If you want to use an animal rug on the wall as textile art, you can use a rug rod or wide Velcro strips along the top. This distributes the weight evenly and avoids pulling on the wool over time.
Besides the figure-shaped animal rugs, Doing Goods also has colourful floor rugs with patterns and graphic motifs — a great alternative if you want the brand's aesthetic without a full animal motif on the floor.
Hooks and knobs with personality
Doing Goods' hooks and knobs follow the same logic as the rugs: animal shapes, bold colours, handmade production. The hooks are typically shaped like stylised animal heads — a parrot, a tiger, a flamingo — cast in iron or brass and hand-painted.
Functionally, they hold a jacket, a bag or a set of keys just fine. But they're primarily decorative. A hallway with a row of animal-shaped hooks in different colours signals something about who lives behind that door — and that makes them one of the cheapest ways to give a room a clear personality.
The knobs are designed for drawers and cupboard doors and are an easy upgrade for standard furniture. A standard brass knob shaped like a parrot changes the look of an entire kitchen cupboard without requiring more than a screwdriver and five minutes. Also check out our wider range of hooks and knobs from several manufacturers if you'd like to compare styles.
| Product | Material | Primary use | Typical animal motifs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hooks | Hand-painted iron / brass | Hallway, bathroom, wardrobe | Tiger, flamingo, parrot, elephant |
| Knobs | Hand-painted iron / brass | Cupboard doors, drawer handles | Elephant, tiger, bird |
| Rugs | Wool and cotton, hand-tufted | Floor or wall | Tiger, leopard, zebra, flamingo, bear |
| Wall hangings | Wool and cotton, hand-tufted | Wall | Abstract + animal motifs |
Wall hangings and textile art
Doing Goods' wall hangings are made from the same materials and with the same craftsmanship as the rugs, but are designed to hang on a wall rather than lie on the floor. The motifs range from abstract geometric patterns and botanical shapes to animal motifs.
A wall hanging from Doing Goods differs from a framed print or painting in one crucial way: it adds a tactile dimension to the wall. The wool reflects light differently throughout the day, and the surface is alive rather than flat. In a room with a lot of hard materials — concrete, metal, glass — a textile wall hanging works as a natural sound absorber and a visual contrast.
Want to compare with other wall hangings from other manufacturers? We have a wide range in various styles and price ranges.
Wine stoppers, jars and ottomans
Besides rugs and hooks, Doing Goods has a range of accessories that share the same craftsmanship approach.
- Wine stoppersin ceramic and brass with animal heads — popular gift ideas that are functional and slightly absurd at the same time.
- Pots in hand-painted ceramic for plant pot covers, storage or pure decoration. The colours are typically bright and saturated, and the glaze is hand-applied, so no two are identical.
- Ottomans in animal shapes — a tiger pouffe or an elephant pouffe — handmade and upholstered, working as extra seating and as a room detail. See the full range of Doing Goods ottomans.
- Cutlery with colourful handles in enamel and brass. A set of Doing Goods cutlery transforms your table setting without needing new tableware.
The pots are particularly versatile: they fit standard pots from most garden centres and can be used as pot covers for houseplants or as storage jars in the kitchen for dried pulses and grains.
Production and materials
Doing Goods uses the phrase "handmade with a story" — and it's not just marketing. Production takes place at small workshops in India, and the brand pays fair trade prices rather than squeezing suppliers on margin.
This has concrete consequences for product quality. Artisans who are properly paid and work under safe conditions make better products — this is reflected in the stitching on the backs of the rugs, in the even paint on the hooks, and in the ceramic glaze. Doing Goods also invests in local education initiatives in the workshop communities it partners with.
Materially, the wool in the rugs is often locally sourced, and the metal parts in hooks and knobs are made from recycled metal. This reduces the need for newly extracted raw materials but doesn't change the products' durability — recycled metal is functionally identical to new metal in this context.
Because everything is handmade, there will always be small variations in colour, dimensions and shape from piece to piece. This isn't a quality issue — it's a direct consequence of the fact that a person made your rug or hook rather than a machine.
Frequently asked questions
Can Doing Goods animal rugs be machine washed?
No. Doing Goods recommends spot cleaning with a lightly damp cloth and mild detergent. Machine washing can alter the rug's shape and set the colours. For tougher dirt, you can contact a professional rug cleaner who works with handmade wool rugs.
Is there a difference between a Doing Goods animal rug and an ordinary floor rug?
Yes. The animal rugs are hand-tufted in animal-shaped silhouettes with three-dimensional details in the face, paws and tail. They're designed to function as decorative objects — on the floor or on the wall — rather than primarily as walkway rugs. They're made from wool and cotton, not synthetic fibres.
What does it mean that the products are handmade?
Each product is manually made by artisans in India. This means there will be small variations in colour, size and shape from piece to piece — typically within 2-5% of the stated dimensions. This is a natural consequence of handmade production and not a sign of a fault.
Can Doing Goods hooks be used outdoors?
Doing Goods hooks are primarily designed for indoor use. The metal parts are made of iron or brass, which can develop a patina with prolonged exposure to moisture. For a covered terrace or veranda in a dry climate, they may work, but the manufacturer recommends indoor placement.
Which animal motifs are most popular?
The tiger rug is historically Doing Goods' best-selling product. The leopard and the zebra follow closely. Among hooks and knobs, the flamingo, parrot and elephant are the most sought-after motifs. The range is updated on an ongoing basis, and some models are produced in limited quantities.
Do Doing Goods knobs fit standard screws?
Yes. Most Doing Goods knobs are fitted with a standard screw (M4 or M5) and fit common cabinet doors from, among others, IKEA and other manufacturers. A screw is included with the product. Always check the hole diameter and screw length against the door's thickness before mounting.
Summary
Doing Goods is an Amsterdam-based brand that produces handmade home textiles and accessories in collaboration with Indian artisans under fair trade conditions. Its most famous product is the full-size hand-tufted animal rugs — tigers, leopards, zebras and many others — made from wool and cotton with detailed three-dimensional features. Besides rugs, the range covers hooks and knobs in hand-painted iron and brass, ceramic pots, ottomans, wall hangings and accessories such as wine stoppers and cutlery.
Variations from piece to piece are a direct consequence of the production method — this is not a fault. The materials are wool, cotton and recycled metal. Looking after the rugs requires spot treatment, not machine washing. The price reflects fair trade wages and handmade production.
Explore our range of Doing Goods blankets, hooks and accessories — or go straight to animal rugs to see all available animals and sizes.
