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Why Source RugMark Rugs?
Interior designers work to bring harmony to interior spaces. Your designs make a statement about your customers tastes, lifestyles and values.
Today more customers are shopping with their values. Fair trade coffee, organic produce and hybrid vehicles are all examples of people shopping with their values. Social responsibility is becoming a way of life for a growing number of consumers. Market research by Interior Design indicates 80% of interior designers working at the top 100 firms want more information about “green” products made with protecting the environment in mind.
Consumers want beautiful design options that incorporate their values. But if a carpet or rug was made using illegal child labor, it would be ugly no matter what. The single most beautiful thing about a handmade rug is the RugMark certification label.
Here are a few more reasons you might consider specifying RugMark certified rugs:
ONE: IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
Increase your client base by demonstrating your commitment to green design
By demonstrating your commitment to green design and social responsibility, you gain a competitive advantage in serving a growing segment of socially conscious consumers, estimated at 68 million. A 2005 Harvard University study with a major New York City retailer showed increased sales volume for independently certified products made with good labor standards. Plus, people paid up to 20 percent more for comparable products that were not certified.
Access a wide selection of beautiful rugs
With RugMark certified rugs, you get the aesthetics and quality you want with the socially responsible construction you value. Rugs and carpets are available in a wide selection of sizes, colors and patterns suitable for any design project. They are produced in wool, silk and hemp, among other quality fibers. To view a sampling of the rugs available through RugMark member brands, visit our Rug Showroom.
Download a buyer’s guide for use with your clients.
Suggest the highest quality product
The average 8’ x 10’ handmade area rug is made up of as many as 1 million individually hand-tied knots. The most beautiful rugs are woven by skilled adult artisans and are heirloom purchases that can last a lifetime and through the generations. A rug certified by RugMark features the craftsmanship and quality you and your clients expect.
Build trust
Many clients are apprehensive about shopping for a carpet or rug. When you bring a client into a carpet showroom, you want the people in that showroom and the products they sell to be a positive reflection on you. When you’re in a showroom featuring RugMark certified rugs, you can be sure that you’re introducing your client to a retailer who believes as deeply in social responsibility as you do. That’s important, because 90% of Americans remain loyal to companies associated with a good cause, according to the 2004 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study. To find a showroom in your area that sells one of the many fine RugMark certified rug brands, click here.
Connect clients to ancient traditions
Rug making is an ancient tradition. Long ago handmade rugs were used for prayer, to add warmth to the home, for adornment, and even to cushion horse saddles. Today master craftspeople create works of art ranging from patterns that have been passed down through the centuries to the diverse styles of contemporary designers. When clients are willing to pay the prices well-made rugs command, they want to feel a connection to the cultural traditions represented by their rug. When you specify a RugMark certified rug, you and your clients can trace each piece back to the loom on which it was made, helping them enjoy the heritage of the rug. Every RugMark certified rug can be traced back to its country of origin.
TWO: IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
End child labor
The RugMark system has a proven track record. Experts estimate that the number of child laborers in South Asia’s carpet looms has dropped from 1 million to 300,000 since the launch of RugMark 11 years ago. Through its rigorous inspection and monitoring system, RugMark has rescued more than 3,000 children from illegal carpet work and successfully deterred thousands more from entering the workforce.
Give back to weaving communities
A percentage of the sales of RugMark certified rugs is returned to South Asia to educate children and support other social programs in weaving communities. RugMark’s 13 affiliated schools and scholarship programs educate former child weavers and children living in weaving communities.
Create lasting change
RugMark is not just another program. RugMark has a comprehensive system that cares for thousands of children in the short term while implementing a long-term strategy for the complete elimination of child labor in the rug industry. RugMark strikes at the root of the problem.
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