The Rug Est. Sustainability Statement

Sustainability

At The Rug Est. sustainability efforts are in abundance due to the very nature of our products: handmade, natural fibre rugs which are designed and Crafted For Life

Our Crafted for Life ethos is about creating products that last a lifetime. We take into consideration how people actually live in the space to inform the best manufacturing technique, fibre choices, and designs to suit. Rug longevity means they stay in the home, not in landfill.

Since our inception in 2006, we have been collectively committed to reducing our environmental footprint, with minimal waste in the way the products are made as well as how they are marketed, packaged and delivered. Incremental improvements through supplier and team collaboration have reduced the environmental impact more every year.

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS™)

GOTS™ is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. The aim of this Standard is to define requirements to ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. To obtain a GOTS certification a yarn must be at least 70% certified organic natural fibre. All cotton yarn used in the warping process of The Rug Est. rugs from India is GOTS™ certified.

SA8000 Standard

The SA8000 Standard is the world’s leading social certification program. Created by Social Accountability International (SAI) in 1997, the SA8000 Standard provides a framework for organisations of all types, in any industry, and in any country to conduct business in a way that is fair and decent for workers and to demonstrate their adherence to the highest social standards. It is the most widely recognised global standard for managing human rights in the workplace and all of the contract mills that The Rug Est. rugs are made in, are SA 8000:2014 accredited.

Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW)

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW) is the charity partner of national parks and wildlife services across Australia. Their mission is to safeguard our ecosystems, wilderness, and flora and fauna now and for future generations. FNPW is vital to the delivery of tangible conservation outcomes and a sustainable future for all. For every virgin polypropylene rug made and sold we plant a tree, via One Tree PlantedTM, with the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. We sought to contribute to this program as an offset towards the use of polypropylene fibres (for UV requirements) in our outdoor rug range.

Care & Fair

Since it was founded in 1994, the Care & Fair Association has been has been working together with importers, retailers and carpet producers to fight illegal child labour and improve living conditions for carpet knotters and their families in the knotting regions of India, Pakistan and Nepal. The Care & Fair Association’s mission is the promotion of education for children in these countries, in connection with the combat of illegal child labour in the production of handmade rugs and carpet.

Since 2012, The Rug Est. has worked with the Care & Fair program and provided an entire school’s annual funding and educational support to families working in the rug production area near Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. We are proud to be a part of this initiative and to sponsor the running of the Carpet XL School which supports 347 students, 10 teachers and 5 personnel.

Energy Consumption & Material Efficiency

Handmade products are naturally energy efficient and minimise consumption at every stage of the production cycle. Rug making is manual labour intensive and therefore uses much less electricity to produce than most other machine-made textile products. The intricate interaction with raw materials, wool sorting, carding, and dying are all done by hand. It is often transported by bicycle, woven, scissor carved, and washed by hand before being sun-dried. Handmade rugs are made to last for decades and their ability to be washed and rejuvenated extends their life cycle even further. Leftover (remnant) wool is repurposed into the weft of other rugs or into other textiles. The Rug Est. annually makes blankets from this remnant yarn to donate to local communities of Uttar Pradesh to help in-need villagers.

Product Stewardship

Product stewardship is an approach to reducing the environmental impacts of products by encouraging manufacturers, importers and distributors to take responsibility for their products’ lifecycle, through a focus on the design and production of goods that facilitate longevity and reuse. At The Rug Est. we are committed to designing and making products that meet these requirements. We will happily take responsibility for the lifecycle of our rugs through the acceptance of the return of products for reuse or recycling, wherever possible (hygiene limits prevail) and do what is possible to avoid them contributing to landfill.

Some options for disposing of your old rug include: