Share this on

Peddada Joins Rugmark

Union was natural for company founder, who grew up witnessing child labor in his native India.

Meaghan O'Neill -- Interior Design, 7/14/2004 12:00:00 AM

Peddada, creator of home furnishings and accessories and importer of Indian and Nepalese area rugs, has joined the progressive fight against child labor in the carpet industry. By joining the Rugmark Foundation, a global non-profit committed to that very cause, Peddadda becomes the twentieth company in the innovative certification program.

Raju Peddadda, who founded the namesake company and acts as its head designer, grew up in India, where he says he witnessed firsthand the exploitation of child labor. Since the Rugmark label ensures that carpets bearing it have not employed children in their manufacture, "It was a natural choice for me," says Peddada, who began his career as a textile designer in his homeland.

The Peddada brand is an extension of home accessories design firm The Future Environments Company and launched its modern rug collections earlier this month. Each rug is knotted or tufted with silk and wool using more than 65 natural colors. Thirty original designs are available from Peddada's three collections, which include Signature, Euclid and ColourWalk.

"What interests me is the dichotomy of crafting modern rugs using ancient techniques and how this unique mix produces true treasures for the home," says the designer.

According to one report by the International Labor Organization, 130,000 children are employed in the hand-knotted carpet industry in India alone. Rugmark and Peddada hope that product labelling and consumer pressure will help reduce child labor in South Asia.

Rugmark was founded in 1995 to prevent child labor and offer educational opportunities to children in weaving communities. To accomplish its mission, Rugmark inspects looms in India, Nepal and Pakistan and certifies appropriate carpets as child-labor-free. Since its inception, Rugmark reports that it has freed more than 2,800 children from work and offered them schooling and rehabilitation opportunities. The non-profit aims to end child labor, send children to school, and increase adult wages by educating consumers.