In a drive to end child labor in the South Asian carpet industry—where the child labor problem is prevalent—the non-profit organization RugMark is rolling out “The Most Beautiful Rug” public education campaign. Set to launch this month, the campaign will create awareness about the illegal use of child labor in the industry and benefits of buying a carpet or rug that is certified child labor-free.

RugMark’s independent certification process and its individually numbered label found on the back of each rug indicates that no child labor was used in the weaving process and that a percentage of the purchase price funds rehabilitation and education for former child laborers. It is the only independent rug certification program of its kind, noted Nina Smith, executive director of RugMark.

The premise of the certification is simple, she said. “If the U.S. consumers demand rugs made without the use of child labor, manufacturers will stop exploiting children. One in six children in the world today works illegally and nearly 300,000 are exploited in the carpet industry to weave carpets for American and European homes.” Interior designers, rug designers and importers are joining the effort and looking at ways to ensure that all rugs are not only beautiful, but that they were also made by adults and not by exploited children.

The challenge—and the rationale for the campaign—is that most people simply are not aware that many handmade rugs are made by exploited children who work long hours for little or no pay and miss the opportunity to go to school. The Most Beautiful Rug, RugMark’s campaign to end child labor, asserts that an imported rug made by exploited children is “ugly no matter what it looks like.”

The national campaign, which will be launched in major design markets such as New York and San Francisco, will run for three years and include outreach to consumers, interior designers, architects, retailers and the handmade rug industry. Campaign elements include print advertising, an editorial program including media outreach, a Web site (www.rugmark.org), industry and consumer events, educating consumers at point of sale, downloadable education materials to be used by the trade, and grassroots activities.

“Child labor drives down adult wages and keeps entire communities in poverty,” said Smith. “Many children who work in carpet factories are abused, often sexually, and receive one meal a day. Many girl laborers try to escape and turn to a worse fate: prostitution.” According to Smith, only adult hands can weave the most beautiful patterns. A child learning the art of weaving is fine, as long as he or she is attending school.

The campaign is sponsored by the Skroll Foundation, Metropolis magazine, Dwell magazine, the Modern Luxury Publishing Group and others. The award-winning firm Crispin, Porter & Bogusky has designed the ad campaign as a major pro bono contribution. By increasing consumer demand and promoting responsible designers, importers and retailers, RugMark seeks to increase the market share of certified rugs and, in doing so, change the industry norm. The campaign empowers consumers to take action by simply asking sales staff and interior designers for RugMark-certified rugs. “If we’re successful we can say we’ve literally wiped out child servitude from the rug industry,” Smith said. “This is achievable in 10 years, but we need everyone to get behind us.”
—Louis Iannaco