Texas—Mohawk Flooring is charging toward a better tomorrow by kicking off its partnership with Rhinory, a winery and rhino sanctuary based here. The partnership focuses on a life-sized marketing campaign tied to a big cause. This week, Mohawk is installing carpet in Blake the Rhino’s living quarters. Follow along with Floor Covering News in the coming weeks as Blake goes toe to toe with the unprecedented capabilities of SmartStrand with All Pet.
At this year’s Surfaces show held in Las Vegas last month, Mohawk announced its new partnership with Rhinory. “We are looking at this partnership as an opportunity to bring the rhino back,” said Kelli Widdifield, Mohawk’s senior vice president of marketing. “Not only as a marketing initiative for our retail partners to demonstrate the sustainability, durability and cleanability of our product, but we are also literally helping bring the rhino back from a path toward extinction.”
Since 2008, over 11,000 rhinos have been poached in Africa. To change the narrative and provide these animals with the care, attention and safety they deserve, Craig Stevens and his wife Chesney Castleberry opened Rhinory in the Hill Country of Texas in 2022. “Rhinory combines the concepts of a rhino farm and a winery,” Stevens explained. “Visitors can experience rhinos in an environment much more personal than a zoo, drink world-class wines in a beautiful setting and help rhino conservation while doing it.”
The 55-acre ranch is home to the rhino Blake. Weighing a staggering 4,000 pounds, Blake loves attention and is living his best life at Rhinory. Blake’s living quarters now feature carpet from Mohawk’s new SmartStrand Color Wall. After Blake goes toe to toe with the capabilities of SmartStrand with All Pet, Mohawk said it will clean up and show side by side comparisons. Stay tuned for more!