Welcome to Rugmark UK’s new web site which has been developed with the kind assistance of The Body Shop Foundation and Corporate Culture. 2007 is an important year for RugMark UK. The launch of this website coincides with our new campaign to raise awareness of ethically produced rugs, Look for the Label.

RugMark still stands for the same things today, as we did eleven years ago when we launched. Essentially, we can promise that no children have worked illegally on a certified rug and that adults have been paid a fair wage for their work.

If it wasn't for the work that RugMark carries out on a daily basis: the random inspection of looms; rehabilitating children found working; running schools and training programmes, child labour in the rug industry would be in a much worse situation than it is now.

RugMark not only rescues children found working illegally in looms and factories, 3,000 have been rescued so far, but also works as a strong deterrent to those who may consider putting children to work, deterring many, many thousands more.

Education is a vital part of RugMark's work. Research that we have carried out in South Asia amongst children rescued from looms shows that they see education as the most important tool for their future.

For the children that are rescued and given opportunities, opportunities that we take for granted, education means that they are independent. Education gives them the tools to earn a decent living, and most importantly, having an education means that they are no longer vulnerable to those who would try to exploit them again.

We have a collection of case studies on this site from our team of workers and the children rescued and in schools. I hope you will enjoy reading them and get a taste of the children's determination and hopes for the future.

At RugMark we see that the problem of child labour, doesn't just stop at the child – the whole community is involved, so we run Mobile Health Clinics, day nurseries, plus training and Adult Education Centres. We also ensure that the adult rug weavers are paid a fair wage for their work.

Everyone can help to get rid of child labour by making the right consumer choices. Please remember to always Look for the Label when you are buying a rug. When you buy a rug, handmade by an adult artisan, you are buying the best quality, and a tradition.

Happy rug hunting!