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In the intricate realm of handmade carpet production, Label STEP serves as a model for fair trade practices, setting stringent and holistic rules through its 10-point Standard. At the heart of this mission is STEP auditors, diligent professionals ensuring and supporting the implementation of the standards through audits and

Label STEP has had an exciting start to 2024 celebrating the incredible success of our Partners at industry design and trade shows, including DOMOTEX in Hannover, Paris Deco Home and Maison&Objet in Paris, and COVER Connect Las Vegas. Through creative exhibitions and design awards, our Partners showcased the beautiful and

A collaboration between STEP Certified Partners Christopher Farr and Kirkit Rugs was featured in a recent exhibition focused on highlighting the women behind the craft of weaving and rug making. The Women Behind the Weave The art and craft of weaving is something that has traditionally been performed by

Since its founding in 1995, STEP has worked to expand the reach of its fair trade mandate. Today, STEP proudly works across all 7 major handmade rug producing countries—including Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Morocco—and has local teams dedicated to addressing the unique challenges, languages, and working

Join us as we welcome the rug industry’s leading figures at COVER Connect New York 2023, September 9–11. Following the success of the first two years, the third edition of the show is expanding to two venues: The Metropolitan Pavilion and The Altman Building. The Showroom We look forward

Financial literacy training has been a major area of focus for Label STEP Nepal since 2017. To expand the successful program, the team recently piloted a further initiative to offer digital financial literacy for weavers and to train so-called financial literacy champions to serve as role models for their

Label STEP is partnering with the Maison de l’Artisan, a Moroccan government-run organization dedicated to supporting professionals in the craft sector, in a mandate to improve and update the country’s carpet industry for the present day. History of Handmade Carpet Making in Morocco Located in the Maghreb region of

Label STEP has implemented preventative healthcare services across India and Pakistan to give the countries’ handmade carpet weavers access to information and recommendations that support their well-being – both now and in the future. Individual Healthcare is a Global Issue Access to healthcare is not only an individual issue,

The Artisan Villages bring the weaving to the weavers, establishing safe and reliable network of jobs – close to home. During the first phase, 7 weaving workshops were established across Sarlahi and 490 local weavers – including 24 master weavers – were trained and skilled. The project is now in

Article originally published in COVER magazine, April 2023. Shared here with permission. Support for weavers may be improving in some weaving production countries, but is it enough to sustain the industry? Reto Aschwanden of Swiss fair-trade NGO Label STEP discusses the global situation. After the disruptions of the pandemic,

STEP Certified Partner Events Rugs Kristiina Lassus ShowroomKristiina Lassus Studio Showroomvia Soperga, 18, 20124 Milano MIApril 18–22, 10am to 8pm EventResponsible Luxury Rugsw/ Reto Aschwanden, Label STEP Managing DirectorApril 18, 6 to 10 pmat Kristiina Lassus Studio ShowroomDetails ⎯Battilossi BoothSalone del MobileHall 3 Booth M23April 18–22, 10am to 8pmDetails ShowroomThe New

Fair trade NGO Label STEP has increased the scope of its aid to Afghan weavers amid the country’s unprecedented and worsening humanitarian crisis. Throughout 2022, programs delivering responsive and preventative health care in Afghanistan supported thousands of weavers and their communities. Responding to crisis Carpets in Afghanistan are woven