Rug company Bazaar Velvet has reaffirmed its commitment to ethical sourcing after renewing its partnership with GoodWeave International.
Founded 20 years ago by Christopher Mould, the company has also created designs produced through a Turquoise Mountain Foundation initiative empowering Afghan women weavers to work from home.
‘It keeps me awake at night. I never want to exploit communities. Quality isn’t just about the materials and craftsmanship: it’s about knowing the people who create these pieces are treated with dignity and paid fairly. That’s been important to me throughout my 38 years in this industry,’ says Mould.
‘Real luxury means knowing the story behind the piece: who made it, under what conditions, and whether their children are in school rather than at a loom. Quality and ethics aren’t separate for us – they’re the same thing. If the artisan isn’t treated well, the rug is tainted, no matter how beautiful it looks.’
Bazaar Velvet maintains its workshops in Nepal and India, sharing facilities to control quality and working conditions. The business donates a percentage of revenue from every rug made with the GoodWeave label, to eliminate child labour.
GoodWeave has restored freedom to more than 10,000 children removed from exploitative rug work. This year the organisation directly provided educational opportunities to over 100,000 children in weaving communities and protected over 150,000 workers under the GoodWeave Standard through regular monitoring.
Last year Bazaar Velvet created designs produced through a Turquoise Mountain Foundation initiative in Afghanistan. Mould designed and coloured the collection, which was then woven by Afghan women working from home. The rugs are now part of Bazaar Velvet’s permanent collection.
‘The beauty of it really is about empowering women back into the workforce. Women are banned from working in public spaces in Afghanistan, and girls still can’t be educated. The mothers and their daughters can now weave in their own homes to provide extra income for their families.’
