WASHINGTON—Five more rug companies have joined GoodWeave, the international nonprofit organization working to end child labor in the rug industry, including Calvirugs, which creates sculptural rugs using handwoven wool, silk and hemp; Christina Ruhaak Design, which uses silk and hand-spun Tibetan wools to make rugs with saturated bright colors and texture; Indo Designer Rugs Trading Inc., which sells handknotted wool and silk rugs; InnerAsia, which works to revitalize Tibet’s rug weaving heritage and promote Tibetan arts and crafts, and Shivhon, which integrates social responsibility into the production of custom, handmade wool and silk knotted rugs with nature-inspired designs.
With the addition of these companies, GoodWeave USA now licenses its GoodWeave label to more than 80 North American importers. GoodWeave conducts frequent, unannounced inspections of the looms of these licensed companies to ensure they employ adults only. In addition, each company also pays licensing fees that help support the rescue, rehabilitation and education of former child weavers and other at-risk children in weaving communities, among many other social initiatives, GoodWeave said.
“As GoodWeave participants, these companies help bring positive social change to the communities where their rugs are made and demonstrate a commitment to the quality and integrity that only a skilled adult weaver can bring to the craft of rug making,” said Nina Smith, executive director of GoodWeave USA. “Each company that joins GoodWeave and the consumers who purchase their child-labor-free rugs help bring us closer to ending child labor.”