RugMark Preparing Photo Exhibit on Child Labor

New York, NY, Sept. 12, 2008--As leading figures in the rug industry travel to New York City for the fifth annual Metro Market Week and the New York International Carpet Show, international social justice nonprofit RugMark USA and its industry partners prepare to launch the Faces of Freedom photo exhibition.

The collection of work by internationally acclaimed photographer U. Roberto Romano will be on display at the Odegard New York showroom Sept. 15-26, and will reveal stories of former child weavers and their journey from moments of exploitation and desperation to opportunities of rehabilitation and education.

Prevalence of illegal child labor in the South Asian handmade carpet industry, a key export for countries like Nepal, has troubling implications for American consumers, RugMark says. Currently the U.S. has the largest market for handmade rugs averaging $1.2 billion in product sales each year, half of which come from South Asia.

Since 1995, RugMark has helped to reduce the number of children working illegally as weavers in India, Nepal and Pakistan from one million to 300,000.

To accomplish its mission, RugMark offers an independent child-labor-free certification process. The RugMark label ensures that a rug was made by adult artisans and that a portion of each rug’s purchase price goes to educate former child laborers.

RugMark operates 13 schools and rehabilitation centers in weaving communities in South Asia. More than 3,500 children currently attend school with RugMark support.

As part of RugMark’s three year public awareness campaign “The Most Beautiful Rug,” Faces of Freedom is designed to bring viewers to South Asia and into carpet factories, loom sheds and the lives of children and adults who are impacted by the carpet industry.

Faces of Freedom will tour North America through December 2009. Debuting in New York City, the exhibition will remain on display at the Odegard showroom from September 15-26 and can be viewed by appointment only.