Even without the questions about child labor (which might be about anything from children simply working at low wages, to ones as young as 4 being shackled to looms, to torture) you'd still have to be willing to walk on something that someone took the better part of a year to make, and was paid nearly nothing for their effort.
There are organizations like Rugmark that try to ensure that child workers attend school and paid a fair wage, but there's only so much they can do.
I realize that there are more difficult economic questions at play here (some people argue that families and economies depend on children working help, and would rather have low wages than none for any worker) but I feel that the questions are more weighty than my need for the perfect runner for my kitchen.
My father, who has spent the vast majority of his career working and living in South Asia, is an international health policy analiyst specializing in South Asia, is an international poverty specialist, and who speaks 4 South Asian languages well and one fluently has a collestion of well over fifty rugs from all over Asia. He and my mom buy Asian handicrafts frequently. Actually I think that artisan handicrafts produced for export preserve local culture and benefit local economies far more than garment manufacturing or resource extraction.
OK, so in addition to families and economies benefiting, I can add "preservation of local culture" in the "pro" column for buying rugs from a hand-loomed or hand-knotted rug from an Asian country? How do I know it was produced under humane conditions? Do you have any specific advice for me?
I need several rugs for the four rooms of my first floor of my house, and I'd been looking at machine-made onces just to avoid the whole humanitarian question.
I had no idea that India has child labor issues. : (
Another option for rugs...Costco Home. I don't know if they're online or if they have a catalogue, so I may be giving you a false lead. And I don't know where their rugs are made.
Oh wait, I forgot to read your comments. It makes some sense to boycott in a disorganized way--like not participating in something wrong--but it seems better to do it in an organized way. Even if you can't, then maybe give some of the money to a labor organization in India?
This might be my own rationalization, though. Some things--if there is no way to stop it because there is no real movement--I just give money.
I now exactly what you're saying here. I have the exact same conflicts with our home purchases. I've lived in Thailand in the past and travel extensively in Asia (though never been to India) and I am SO torn about buying furniture, rugs, etc. from Asian countries. :( It's a really beautiful rug though. The person (s) must be very talented.
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There are organizations like Rugmark that try to ensure that child workers attend school and paid a fair wage, but there's only so much they can do.
I realize that there are more difficult economic questions at play here (some people argue that families and economies depend on children working help, and would rather have low wages than none for any worker) but I feel that the questions are more weighty than my need for the perfect runner for my kitchen.
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My father, who has spent the vast majority of his career working and living in South Asia, is an international health policy analiyst specializing in South Asia, is an international poverty specialist, and who speaks 4 South Asian languages well and one fluently has a collestion of well over fifty rugs from all over Asia. He and my mom buy Asian handicrafts frequently. Actually I think that artisan handicrafts produced for export preserve local culture and benefit local economies far more than garment manufacturing or resource extraction.
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How do I know it was produced under humane conditions? Do you have any specific advice for me?
I need several rugs for the four rooms of my first floor of my house, and I'd been looking at machine-made onces just to avoid the whole humanitarian question.
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I had no idea that India has child labor issues. : (
Another option for rugs...Costco Home. I don't know if they're online or if they have a catalogue, so I may be giving you a false lead. And I don't know where their rugs are made.
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This might be my own rationalization, though. Some things--if there is no way to stop it because there is no real movement--I just give money.
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