Going Places

Tarpestry products protect you against many different surfaces.

Music festivals, picnics, and beach trips—to name a few—wouldn’t be complete without a blanket to sit on. Rather than risking the delicate nature of a traditional blanket, or weathering the discomfort of more rugged options, Tarpestry (a combination of “tarp” and “tapestry”) has created a combination of the two. Crafted to be both soft as well as water and UV repellent, Tarpestrys are made from layers of durable fabric that can withstand a variety of rugged conditions. “The underlying fabric is about as durable as it gets. We sometimes like to say it's hippie and festival approved because we found all the outdoor fabrics that are water repellent and we started rubbing them on gravel and pretend-dancing on them,” laughs Ted Swartzbaugh, co-owner of Tarpestry. 

Unlike traditional picnic blankets, Tarpestrys have a durable underside.

The company was founded in 2010 by Ted and his wife Carrie, North Carolina natives and Appalachian State University alums. They moved to Colorado after college and worked for a screen printing company; while there, Ted and Carrie spent a lot of time at music festivals trying to sell t-shirts for the company, which revealed to them the growing need for waterproof blankets. The company eventually closed, and around that same time, Carrie’s stepfather pitched them an interesting idea: putting a tarp on the underside of a quilt. After that, Carrie and Ted decided to run with the idea, leading to Tarpestry. In 2017, the couple relocated to Boone and brought Tarpestry with them. All Tarpestrys are produced by Tsuga, a well-known outdoor gear-making company in Boone.  

Carrie and Ted with their two children.

While the underside of a Tarpestry is made with durable material, the softer top side features designs that are digitally printed onto the fabrics in order to customize them with unique artwork and designs. “That way we can facilitate either artwork that we make ourselves or licensing with other artists,” Ted explains. Carrie’s background is in graphic design, so she creates the in-house renderings; Tarpestry has also featured the work of a number of other artists, both local and national. Sweet Meliss, a painter in Asheville, designed a few psychadelic, colorful options, including one that features her signature swirl. Tarpestrys can also be customized, Ted says, so that companies, brands, festivals, and more can order small-batch products with their logos and artwork. 

Not only can Tarpestrys be used as picnic blankets, they also feature four grommet rings on their corners so that they can be hung for privacy or shade. Besides the classic cotton-and-tarp blankets, the Rugged collection has an additional layer of support for tougher settings, the Epic collection features smaller artists from around the country, and a smaller version for more lightweight packing. Ted and Carrie have also designed a line of sand-free beach mats and sherpa blankets. 

MULTI-PURPOSE - Tarpestrys feature metal grommets on the back so they can be tied up to use as a shelter for camping or lounging.

Looking ahead, Tarpestry has new designs coming out this summer and autumn. They’re also working on a blanket with an attached strap for easier transport. “We have had a carrying strap with our product, but it was sold separately . . . we’re trying to figure out how to combine the two and make a more complete product,” says Ted. Currently, Tarpestrys are available for purchase online, but Ted and Carrie are working to get the blankets into local storefronts.  

LEARN MORE
To learn more about Tarpestry, visit tarpestry.com.