Macy's To Help Fight Child Labor

Macy's customers can fight child labor with a purchase of handmade carpeting.

The store has partnered with GoodWeave USA, an organization that combats child labor by certifying child-labor-free rugs and providing education to rescued and at-risk children. GoodWeave has certified nearly 8 million rugs as child-labor-free worldwide.

“Child servitude is a crime committed against nearly 215 million worldwide with one of the highest rates and worst forms in the handmade rug industry,” said April Thompson, GoodWeave USA’s director of marketing and communications. “For over 15 years, GoodWeave has worked to emancipate and educate child weavers in South Asia’s carpet belt. GoodWeave was founded by Indian human rights activist Kailash Satyarthi in 1995, upon realizing that efforts to rescue children from the carpet looms was futile without a market-driven mechanism to pressure manufacturers to make a lasting change to their business practices.”

Two numbers are staggering. An initial number of roughly 1 million child laborers is now down to 250,000, and the organization has provided 9,000 children with schooling and healthcare services. Thompson feels the numbers are proof that the GoodWeave USA method works.

“GoodWeave takes a very comprehensive approach to the issue of child labor," Thomposn said. "We not only rescue children from the looms, we provide comprehensive, long-term support to ensure that these children have the resources they need to embark on a new path in life. We also work to prevent child labor before it occurs, for example by providing day care and education for the children of carpet weavers and other at-risk children. Of course, the frequent, surprise inspections of licensed carpet-making facilities has the strongest deterrent effect of all.”

In June , GoodWeave, Macy’s, and Mink Companies of Bridgeport, which owns the leases to Macy’s rug departments nationwide, publicly launched several collections of GoodWeave certified rugs, prominently marketed in selected Macy’s stores, including the in Paramus.

“We have been in discussion with GoodWeave for a number of years," said Jim Sluzewski, Macy’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & External Affairs. “From the beginning their mission has been to prevent child labor in the making of rugs in certain Asian countries, primarily Nepal and India. Over the years they’ve worked with a number of makers who sold to boutiques, but they never had partnership with a major retailer. We talked with them and asked how to make it work for Macy's. The mission has been to be to take children out of the labor equation. We very much believe in the concept and process and looked for an opportunity to come together. It finally worked this year.” 

Sluzewski also adds that Macy’s started with four collections and styles of rugs, and they’re closely monitoring customer response. He also attests to the quality. “The rugs are very high quality, very well made, and are considered premium rugs in scope of product. Great rugs, great style. Some have safari shapes and leopard and tiger designs. There’s a collection of rugs in a Persian sort of designs. We’re looking for best quality and most interesting rugs to bring to the store. GoodWeave certification is an added bonus.”

“When they purchase a GoodWeave certified Macy's rug, they are helping restore childhoods, putting a child in school rather than at work,” Thompson said. “Every rug sale has a powerful ripple effect on a child’s life. If everyone makes the compassionate choice, we can end child labor in this industry, in our lifetime. Our website, GoodWeave.org, has a wealth of information for people interested in purchasing a rug, learning more about the issues or getting involved with GoodWeave’s “One in a Million” campaign to end child labor. We also encourage Smartphone users to visit m.goodweave.org/macys for a free entry to win a Macy’s certified rug and learn more about the partnership.”