GoodWeave has moved closer to eradicating child labour in the rug industry with the addition of three more UK companies to its international labelling scheme. Rug Couture, Sage Green Designs and The Moorland Rug Company have all become GoodWeave licensees, making 17 in the UK. As licensees, they are committed to sourcing rugs or woven products from only GoodWeave-certified producers in India, Nepal or Afghanistan.
The prevalence of child labour in the rug industry is widely documented by international bodies, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations. Whilst the numbers of children estimated to be working in South Asia’s rug looms has declined, it is reckoned that there are still over 250,000. The UK is a major importer of rugs made in India and Nepal.
Nina Smith, executive director of GoodWeave, is hopeful that more UK rug companies will sign up to the GoodWeave label: “I am heartened by three more companies in the UK taking a stand against child labour and doing their best to ensure their rugs are child labour-free. The more ethically-made rugs demanded via the GoodWeave scheme, the more pressure will come to bear on producers to abandon child labour for good.”
The Moorland Rug Company, Rug Couture and Sage Green Designs are the latest companies to sign up to the GoodWeave labelling scheme in the UK. Other rug suppliers already ensuring their rugs are child labour-free and signed up to the labelling scheme include The Rug Company, Matthew Wailes, Bazaar Velvet and Deirdre Dyson. In addition, WovenGround, the retailer, has become a GoodWeave Industry Supporter.
