This post is the fifth in our series Making a Real Difference. To catch up on what this series is about – check out the first post here: An Introduction to the Rug Program, the second post: From Sheep to Wool., the third post: From One Knot to an Entire Rug, and the fourth post: You Mean…The Rug is Burned?.
In our last post, we saw how artisans take the completed rug and “finish” it. Each of those finishing steps makes the handmade, Fair Trade rug even more durable, and after a final inspection is done, the rug is ready to be shipped to North America. By the time it is prepared for shipping, more than 15 people have helped in the creation of the rug.
All rugs are then shipped by air for JFK Airport. Anxious rug volunteers and Ten Thousand Villages staff members trek to the airport with a cargo van, pick up the shipment and bring it back to the Main Rug Room at the Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Ten Thousand Villages store. There, a team of rug volunteers and TTV staff unbale the shipment and get them ready for customers to enjoy.
When we’re ready at One World Market to host our rug event, we start by clearing floor space in our store. When the rugs arrive by cargo van, OWM staff and volunteers help unload the rugs.
During a rug event, we host the rugs for five days. During the event, everyone is welcome to come and take a look at these beautiful works of art! We have over 300 handmade rugs in the store, of all sizes, so you’re bound to find one to suit your taste and décor.
If you have interest in any particular rugs, you are welcome to take those rugs home on loan and try them in your own space, without the obligation to buy. The OWM staff and team of volunteers make the entire selection process a breeze.
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Now that you’ve read about the life cycle of a rug, you can view the entire process in this short video:
From the wool to the knotting, the finishing to the burning, you can see how incredibly hard our artisans work to ensure their rugs are of top quality.
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