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RugMark Campaign Aims to Educate Consumers, Designers

The program, which includes print, web, and grassroots

Meaghan O'Neill -- Interior Design, 8/3/2006 12:00:00 AM

As millions of American schoolchildren return to school this September, the nonprofit organization RugMark will make its own effort to help set youngsters on the road to a brighter future. To help curtail child labor in the South Asian carpet industry, the 11-year-old group will launch its Most Beautiful Rug public education campaign, which aims to help raise awareness about the issue.

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. The campaign's components include print advertising, a media outreach program, a web site, events, educating consumers at point of sale, and various grassroots activities.

By teaching both designers and consumers about the benefits of buying a carpet or rug that is certified child-labor-free, Rugmark hopes to increase consumer demand and promote responsible manufacturing, importing, and retailing, thereby positively changing the industry norm.

"Child labor drives down adult wages and keeps entire communities in poverty," says Nina Smith, RugMark's executive director. "If U.S. consumers demand rugs made without the use of child labor, manufacturers will stop exploiting children," she adds.

The organization's independent certification process indicates that no child labor is used in the weaving process and that a percentage of the purchase price funds rehabilitation and education for former young workers. A list of importers and retailers that offer RugMark-certified rugs is available online. The cost of certification is one half of one percent of the retail price of a rug.