VARANASI, INDIA

The Greater GoodWeave.

“Where did this rug come from?” is more than a question about the country of origin. We’re becoming more conscious as consumers every day, but many assume their new rug was woven by a machine somewhere far away. And sometimes that’s the case. But where craftsmanship is involved, a point of pride for Loloi, hand-woven rugs have a face behind them.

There's a new label on the back of the rugs made in India, too—GoodWeave. This icon offers assurance that there's no child labor involved in the rug-making process, and serves as a symbol to today's consumer that their rug was produced ethically. Our partnership with GoodWeave was a monumental commitment to our customers, our employees, and the future of the industry. It’s not a typical business relationship. GoodWeave accreditation is an in-depth process that takes time, funds, and resources to accomplish. But after auditing Loloi’s factories in India, like the one pictured here, GoodWeave provides assurance of three things: that your rug was made without child labor, that it was made by people in free working conditions, and it came from a transparent supply chain.

Here’s how the GoodWeave audit works. Loloi commissions handcrafted rugs from dozens of factories in India. The first tier of GoodWeave inspections takes place at those factories, making sure there’s no child labor or bonded workers (people working without compensation, which is often a result of inability to repay a debt; a near impossible cycle to break).

In weaving communities vulnerable to child labor, GoodWeave implements Child Friendly Communities (CFC) to improve children’s access to education, which is directly related to decreased child labor. CFCs provide educational remediation programming and school enrollment assistance in communities where carpets, apparel, and home textiles are produced. There are currently 55 CFCs operating throughout India.

Retailers who carry Loloi rugs, and customers who see that blue symbol on the rug’s label, can feel good about the product they’re bringing home, and the person behind it.

Once GoodWeave’s audit is complete, the work isn’t over. They have a staff of more than 100 people in India, including social workers within local communities, who make unscheduled visits throughout the year to provide assurance there is still no child labor. As the partnership continues, GoodWeave and Loloi will take on broader issues in their Indian factories: discrimination in the workplace, workers’ right to freedom of association, workers’ health and safety, working hours, wages, benefits, and environmental impact. In 2020, GoodWeave reached more than 88,000 workers in supply chains in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, which includes Loloi’s employees. GoodWeave accreditation is an industry standard that retailers and customers recognize and trust. Retailers who carry our rugs, and customers who see that blue symbol on the rug’s label, can feel good about the product they’re bringing home, and the person behind it.