Union 18 was an award-winning rug company founded by Todd van der Kruik in the mid 2000s. Long before circular design became a mainstream conversation, Union 18 transformed discarded commercial carpet materials into one-of-a-kind rugs, revealing beauty and value in what others considered waste. Working with manufacturing remnants, carpet offcuts, and surplus materials diverted from landfills, the company explored how overlooked resources could be reimagined through craft, composition, and design.

What began as an experimental approach to material reuse quickly gained recognition for its originality and visual impact. The work received an Honorable Mention in I.D. Magazine's 54th Annual Design Review, was exhibited at Parsons School of Design in New York, and was featured in publications including The LA Times, Good Housekeeping, Natural Home, and Garden & Gun. Union 18 rugs were specified into a variety of residential and commercial projects, including installations at Nike headquarters, Project 7TEN—a groundbreaking LEED Platinum residence in Venice Beach—and The Residences at W Hollywood, where they were incorporated into an eco-focused sanctuary designed by Kelly Van Patten.

At a time when sustainability was still considered a niche concern within the design industry, Union 18 challenged conventional ideas about waste, value, and beauty. The project demonstrated that discarded materials could become desirable, functional, and emotionally resonant objects, helping to anticipate broader conversations around circularity, upcycling, and responsible design that would emerge years later.

More than a product company, Union 18 served as an early expression of a philosophy that continues to inform Todd's work today: the belief that meaningful design begins with curiosity, that overlooked materials often contain untapped potential, and that some of the most compelling ideas emerge when we take a second look at what others have left behind.