November 8, 2016

By Michael Christie, Rug Insider

In 1995 the first GoodWeave (née RugMark) certified carpets began arriving in the west and so began a journey which at its core, seeks to improve the lives of those who make the carpets we so love. The premise is twofold yet simple. Firstly, by educating consumers, importers, manufacturers, and indeed the entire supply chain, GoodWeave drives market demand for rugs and carpets made free from child labour. Secondly, such child labour free carpets are produced and certified under GoodWeave’s internationally recognized and accredited inspection regime thusly providing – in their own words – ‘the best assurance’ no child labour was used in the production of a carpet bearing the GoodWeave Label. By both fostering demand and certifying the supply GoodWeave, through the assessment of licensing fees, is able to fund its mission of eliminating child labour. As GoodWeave now turns twenty-one (21) we examine its role in contemporary carpet manufacture and how one longstanding objection to its widespread adoption – cost – is being countered by a major United States retailer.

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