Carpetbaggers Wanted

My kids love the Disney classic Aladdin.  They especially like the scenes with magic carpet rides.  Their eyes widen as they marvel at a form of flight that only a child could believe really exists.

But for 300,000 children in South Asia, carpets have never been objects of wonder.  They're a source of hopelessness.  In countries such as Pakistan, India and Nepal, children as young as four are forced to work long hours making carpets in unhealthy if not dangerous conditions.

One boy who worked in a carpet factory for eight years writes:

Usually in a carpet factory, child laborers work for about 14-15 hours a day. They weave carpets, spin the wool, roll the thread, etc., but most of them aren't paid in full for their work. Whatever money is given to them is taken away by their elders. They are punished badly if they make any mistakes.

Fortunately, there's an organization working to give these children their lives back.  RugMark has freed more than 3,000 children from weaving looms and returned them to their families and schools.  Here's how you can help.

Look for the RugMark label that assures that no child labor was used in the manufacture of a carpet or rug and that a portion of the purchase price helps to educate children instead.

Shop at these stores in Boston where you can buy RugMark certified rugs.

Use an interior designer that recommends rugs with the RugMark label.  Or encourage a designer you know to check out RugMark's Interior Designer Tool Kit.

Sit on your new rug with the kids and watch Aladdin, happy that a child in South Asia has a better chance of sharing in the wonder of magic carpet rides. 

Hat Tip: Have Fun Do Good