During my journey from the UK to China in 2022, in the immediate aftermath of global COVID lockdowns, I faced countless antigen tests, the absence of direct flights, and multiple two-week quarantines. These rugs draw inspiration from a traditional, ubiquitous doormat design found across China—at the thresholds of both private homes and public buildings. Characterised by the phrase 出入平安, which literally means “safe entry and exit,” these mats offer a ritualistic blessing for all who encounter them—a quiet, everyday wish for safe travels.