The nonprofit GoodWeave organization works to end child labor in the rug industry and provides educational opportunities for kids in weaving communities worldwide. The GoodWeave label is given solely to rug companies that only hire employees of legal working age. GoodWeave, offering the world’s only independent child labor-free certification for rugs, makes unannounced inspections of looms overseas to ensure that standards are upheld.

Programs funded by GoodWeave-certified rug sales have helped nearly 10,000 children in Nepal and India to attend school instead of working on looms. An estimated 250,000 children are still weaving today. “It’s widely documented that children are exploited to make all sorts of products in our global economy,” says Nina Smith, GoodWeave USA executive director. “But in the case of carpets, consumers can do something to put a stop to these inhumane practices. By buying a certified rug, you can change a child’s life.”

Find participating local retailers by Zip code at GoodWeave.org.