Apparently Rifle Paper Co. was sold to private equity in 2021. That tracks with the sudden increase of new product and pattern releases, the random and unannounced disappearance of their fabric and tech lines (which were later relaunched, but only after literally a year or two of ??? and with less variety), the discontinuation of the Keds partnership while launching new/expanded partnerships with Loloi, The Company Store and Target...and some of these new products are so weird. Like a $30 plastic bucket? I’ve seen some of the rugs in person and a few were nice, thick wool while others were really thin and cheap looking. Now they have washable rugs which I’m sure are of questionable quality at best. They don’t have nearly as many fabric patterns or material types for sale as they used to; they don’t even have any fabric in their iconic “garden party” print.
Now they’re laying off 70+ warehouse employees to move to an “AI” (automated?) warehouse, while also opening a new store in Tampa. The beginning of the end has begun.
