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Label STEP

STEP is the non-profit organization committed to the wellbeing of workers in the carpet industry.

26/05/2026

Handmade carpet weaving often takes place within or close to the home, and much of the weaving workforce is made up of women. In these contexts, looms are not only sites of production, but also part of cultural identity, household life, and the intergenerational transmission of artisanal knowledge.

Traditional craftsmanship is rarely learned through instruction alone. It is often absorbed gradually through observation, proximity, storytelling, and voluntary curiosity long before any formal skill-building takes place. Recognising this reality requires nuance.

At the same time, Label STEP’s position remains unequivocal: children’s health, education, rest, and right to play must always come first. The distinction between being exposed to a craft and being expected to contribute labour must never be blurred.

This is why STEP works to identify and address child labour risks across certified supply chains, while also recognising the importance of creating the right conditions for traditional craftsmanship to be passed on safely and appropriately across generations.

This image shows a grandmother weaving while her grandchild watches nearby. With a playground just beside the workshop, it reflects an everyday reality in many weaving communities: children growing up around a living craft — without being part of the labour.

Shared with consent.

19/05/2026

For over 30 years, Label STEP has worked alongside weaving communities, producers, and partners to strengthen fairness, wellbeing, and the future of handmade carpets.

Originally featured in , Issue 81, Thirty-plus Reasons to Love About Label STEP offers a closer look at why this work matters — not only for rugs, but for the people, knowledge, and livelihoods behind them.

Here are five reasons that continue to shape the conversation.

Find 30+ more in the original article, featured in COVER Magazine.

Link in bio.

14/05/2026

In rural Pakistan, many women carpet weavers have historically worked from home, often balancing care responsibilities, limited mobility, and informal working conditions.

The Women Weaving Centre in Feroze Watwan offers another model: a women-only workspace with child care, health support, rights awareness, and fairer, more transparent wages.

Supported by Label STEP Pakistan in partnership with local organisations, the centre brings together more than 20 women weavers in a shared working environment designed around safety, wellbeing, and continuity of craft.
As one weaver shared:
 “Working here has reduced the distractions I faced at home, allowing me to focus better on weaving. It has improved both my productivity and my earnings.”

Read more via the link in bio.

HandmadeCarpets

11/05/2026

Handmade craftsmanship is often romanticized.

The conversation tends to focus on heritage, artistry and the finished object. Less attention is given to the environments in which handmade production takes place, and the working conditions behind it.

The reality is complex. Weaving can involve long hours of repetitive work, prolonged sitting, dust exposure, limited daylight, inadequate ventilation, or insufficient health and safety measures, depending on the workplace and local context.

At Label STEP, this is why social audits matter.

The STEP Standard includes more than 20 health and safety criteria designed to help protect weavers and workers in the handmade carpet supply chain. STEP auditors assess working conditions and support workshop owners in making improvements, from lighting and ventilation to first aid provision and structurally safer workplaces.

Safe and healthy working conditions are fundamental to fair trade. They help reduce risks to workers’ wellbeing and support the long term sustainability of handmade carpet production.

07/05/2026

In many parts of Afghanistan, access to healthcare is becoming increasingly difficult — especially for women and families in remote weaving communities. As clinics close, mobility is restricted, and healthcare workers disappear from the system, communities are finding ways to care for one another.

Through Label STEP’s Community Health Worker initiative, women weavers are being trained to provide basic healthcare, first aid, and health awareness within their own villages. What began as a response to urgent gaps in care has grown into a community-led network built on trust, knowledge, and resilience.

In 2025 alone, the STEP team delivered:
• 149 trainings for Community Health Workers • 344 health consultation sessions across weaving communities

These women are not replacing doctors or formal healthcare systems. But in areas where medical support is limited or unreachable, they are helping families access essential care, health education, and early intervention.

From supporting mothers and children to raising awareness around hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention, Community Health Workers are strengthening care from within their communities.

In times of crisis, local knowledge and collective support can become a lifeline.

Read more in our article “Community Health Care: Afghan Weavers Take the Lead in Crisis Response” — link in bio.

Images by

01/05/2026

International Workers’ Day reminds us that dignity, fairness, and respect at work are not a given—they are built through continuous effort, dialogue, and shared responsibility.

This year, Label STEP marked the day in Nepal with an interactive session bringing together weavers, finishing workers, and their families to recognize the people behind the craft. Through open conversations, workers shared their experiences, daily realities, and perspectives on their livelihoods.

The session also included an introduction to the STEP Standard, strengthening awareness around workers’ rights, workplace conditions, and responsible production. Updated wage information was shared to promote transparency and informed dialogue within the workplace.

The day concluded with a simple but meaningful celebration—honouring the contributions of workers and reaffirming the importance of fair and respectful working conditions across the carpet industry.

30/04/2026

Carpet weaving often involves long hours in fixed postures and repetitive movements, leading to chronic pain over time. In response, Label STEP conducted 534 physiotherapy sessions in 2025, focusing on simple, practical exercises to support workers’ health.

Ms. Priti Majhi (52), a weaver in Kathmandu with over 35 years of experience, had been struggling with severe hand and back pain. After attending a STEP session, she began integrating the recommended exercises into her daily routine and gradually experienced relief.

Her story reflects a broader approach: working closely with weavers to understand risks and respond with practical, preventive measures—from physiotherapy to awareness on posture, movement, and workplace conditions.

These steady, field-based efforts aim to address everyday challenges and support longer-term well-being across weaving communities.

25/04/2026

Join us at COVER Connect | Pop-up High Point for a roundtable exploring what defines luxury today and where it’s headed next.⁠
⁠
Crafted for the Future: How Sustainability and Artisan Skill Are Redefining Luxury⁠
⁠
Moderated by Creative Matters’ Ali McMurter & Label STEP’s Reto Aschwanden.⁠
⁠
We’re bringing together rug importers, industry voices, and artisans for an open, honest conversation. ⁠
⁠
📍 Centers of High Point — Russell #112⁠
🗓 Sunday, April 26⁠
⏰ 3:00–4:00 PM (EDT)⁠
⁠
Come meet us in person, or join us live from anywhere. We’ll be streaming live on the Creative Matters + STEP IG accounts.⁠
⁠
RSVP via the link in bio.

24/04/2026

Production has an impact. There is no way around that.

From water use in dyeing processes to energy consumption and chemical inputs — carpet production inevitably puts pressure on the environment. Acknowledging this is where responsibility begins.

STEP’s work is not about claiming perfection, but about driving improvement where it matters.

In 2025, STEP conducted 2,827 audits across production sites, helping identify environmental risks and reduce impact — step by step. Particularly in dyeing and washing units, environmental improvement plans focus on reducing water and energy use, improving wastewater treatment, limiting hazardous substances, and ensuring responsible waste management.

But change doesn’t happen through STEP Standards alone — it takes ongoing work, adaptation, and commitment on the ground.

21/04/2026

Only a few days left until the first .connect Pop-Up.

Working across the handmade rug value chain, STEP connects buyers, retailers, brands, producers, and weaving communities. COVER Connect’s High Point offers a valuable opportunity to connect with like-minded partners and continue the conversation on how collaboration across the value chain can strengthen the handmade carpet industry and support responsible production.

“We believe the future of handmade rugs must—and will—be shaped by sustainable design and production, high-quality natural materials, and fair working conditions for skilled artisans. We are grateful to showcase our work at the COVER Connect Pop-Up alongside industry-leading partners, and we invite visitors to connect with us to explore partnership opportunities,” says Reto Aschwanden, Managing Director of Label STEP, who has been with the organization for 20 years.

We look forward to the conversations taking place April 25–29, 2026.

Image 1: Morocco, 2026: Label STEP Managing Director Reto Aschwanden (right) with a workshop owner (name withheld).

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http://www.label-step.org/

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