Child labour in the production of Afghan carpets?

According to a report by the US Department of Labour, Afghanistan is one of 74 countries where significant child labour has been found in the production of handmade carpets. This is true! But the situation in Afghanistan is much more complicated. Oriental carpets can only be made by skilled workers, which requires a lot of patience. Teenage children do their part in making carpets, but not nearly as much as they think from thousands of miles away. All members of families that have lost their breadwinner in the war are forced to work because of the abject poverty. So even the children go out to work or, worse, beg on the streets. Childhood is bitter for many Afghan children. They could have been born in another country where they could go to school and play in the park. Most Afghan children are not so lucky. Their "sin" is that they were born in the wrong place. They too have to work to put food on the table. But that doesn't mean they are condemned to slavery. Especially as most Afghan carpets are knotted by all the carpet makers in their own homes. This means that the families are provided with the yarn, the loom, the pattern for the rug and other tools to knot the rug in their own homes. They are the ones who do the knotting or weaving. The children help. Nomadic rugs are not made in large factories with many workers in one place. Weaving is one of the easiest things for children to do. There are parts of the country where children are forced to do very hard physical work. But the worst thing is when there is no work, because then they sell one of their children to feed the others. Unfortunately this is not an uncommon case and believe me, it is not an Afghan family that buys the children they sell.... This information I have shared with you, I know for a fact that this is the case. I have seen it and I see it with my own eyes because I was born in Afghanistan. So it is outrageous when a nation is stigmatised with false and negative labels. UNICEF takes action against child labour in poor countries like Afghanistan. But no alternative is offered. I have never seen an activist offer financial help or work to families in extreme poverty.

In times of war, most Afghan carpets are sent to Pakistan, where they are unfortunately labelled 'Made in Pakistan', even though they are made in Afghanistan. No country has a trade agreement with Afghanistan. There are not many opportunities in Afghanistan, but carpet making can remain a strong pillar of handicrafts. When you put a hand-knotted carpet in your home, think about how much work has gone into it and how many families have made a living from it. Our carpets are lovingly made for our future customers. Have a look around www.carpetdepo.eu I am sure you will find the carpet that is closest to you.

CarpetDepo's commitment to human rights and sustainability

Respect for human rights is a priority for CarpetDepo, which is why we avoid families and manufacturers (from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran and Turkey) who prioritise children's educational opportunities over work. Our efforts are aimed at creating a more just and sustainable world, where every child has the opportunity to benefit from learning, far from exploitation. This ethical approach is key to us and we are committed to using sustainable techniques in our manufacturing processes in Afghanistan. We believe that every child has a fundamental right to learning and healthy development and we strongly oppose all such activities and practices.

The Afghan Carpets

Afghan carpet is a type of hand-knotted textile that is made in Afghanistan using traditional methods. Afghan carpets have won several international awards at the annual international Domotex exhibition in Hanover, Germany. Afghan carpets are made by different ethnic groups in Afghanistan. Mostly Turkmen Afghans make carpets in the north and west of Afghanistan (Aqcha, Mazar-e Sharif, Herat). One of the most exotic and distinctive of the eastern carpets is the Khalmohamadi or Aqcha (Afghan city of Aqcha), knotted in the Balkh province of northern Afghanistan. The carpet is available throughout Afghanistan, with the largest quantities available in Mazar-e Sharif. The founders of Carpetdepo are also from this city. Another typical carpet of Afghanistan is the Baluchi carpet. These are made by the Baluchis of Afghanistan in the southwest of the country.

They use various natural vegetable dyes to produce the beautiful warm colours. A wide variety of patterns and colours are used, but the traditional and most typical is the octagonal elephant print, often with a red background. The elephant foot pattern dates back almost 1000 years. The knotters also make other accessories for the nomadic lifestyle, including tent bags, wall coverings, coasters and saddle bags.