GoodWeave Releases Annual Report

Washington, DC, Oct. 18, 2010--GoodWeave USA has released its 2009 Annual Report, which highlights the organization’s accomplishments in the fight against child labor in South Asia’s handmade rug industry.   

"Last year was a turning point in GoodWeave’s evolution,” said Nina Smith, GoodWeave USA executive director.

"Among other visible accomplishments, GoodWeave USA has succeeded in turning its certification into a viable tool for corporate strategy. We have evidence now that retailers recognize that in addition to being socially responsible the GoodWeave child-labor-free carpet certification draws consumers into showrooms and helps make the sale."

GoodWeave’s key accomplishments for 2009 include:

The new GoodWeave brand was officially launched, replacing the certification’s former name, RugMark.

In the GoodWeave rug-producing countries of Nepal and India, GoodWeave directly rescued 83 children from the looms and offered them an education. To date, GoodWeave has rescued and educated 3,600 and 9,000 children, respectively.

The sale of GoodWeave certified rugs generated nearly $100,000 to fund programs for children in Nepal and India, bringing the total North American rug sales generated for social programs to $1.3 million.

GoodWeave rug sales in North America surpassed $30 million in 2009, representing 3.5% of U.S. market share. Membership in the GoodWeave certification program grew 17% in 2009, bringing the number of importers to 71 as of year-end.