RUGMARK and Member Companies Tap Growing Market at DC Green Festival

Furniture World Magazine

RUGMARK and its member companies exhibited with hundreds of ethically conscious businesses at the Green Festival, September 18th and 19th at the Washington, DC Convention Center.  Rug companies CariniLang, Nordic Textiles & Furnishings, Odegard Inc., and Ringing Mountain joined RUGMARK to promote their rugs and involvement with RUGMARK’s child labor-free certification at the Festival’s “Home and Garden Pavilion”.  The Festival, organized by Global Exchange and Co-op America, was designed to tap into a growing market that exists in Washington and around the country: the 68 million socially-motivated consumers who are the LOHAS market (lifestyles for health and sustainability). In July 2003, the New York Times called this “the largest market that you have never heard of.” “The Green Festival presented an opportunity to market socially responsible businesses to thousands of consumers that understand exactly what we’re trying to accomplish through the RUGMARK certification,” said Nina Smith, RUGMARK USA’s Executive Director.  An estimated 15,000 attended the Festival in Washington and even larger numbers are expected to be present at the third Festival in San Francisco, November 6th and 7th.   According to Joe Carini of CariniLang, the Green Festival offered an important branding opportunity. “I was amazed by the number of people who were drawn to our rugs because we are committed to no child labor,” Carini explained. “These consumers are educated. They look for the kind of independent verification that RUGMARK provides.” In addition to participating in RUGMARK, CariniLang produces organic rugs made from hemp – a renewable resource – and natural dyes. CariniLang’s social values coupled with its environmental stewardship helps to position the company for future growth. “An increasing number of our clients care about how their rugs are made, and the Green Festival only reinforced our understanding of this trend,” continued Carini. A business gathering with a cause, the Green Festival lived up to its own expectations.  All aspects of the weekend, from the T-shirt and paper printing processes to using renewable wind energy are part of an effort to eliminate the waste and energy consumption typical for a large event like the Festival.  The Festival weekend was capped off with a RUGMARK-sponsored rug raffle that raised more than $7,500 for RUGMARK programs including carpet loom monitoring, rescuing and rehabilitating child laborers, and building market demand for child labor-free rugs.  RUGMARK will exhibit and host another raffle at the San Francisco Green Festival, November 6th and 7th.  More information about the Green Festival is available at www.greenfestivals.com.  Information about the RUGMARK and its San Francisco rug raffle are available at www.rugmark.org.