Buyer guide · Responsible sourcing

What does ethical hand-knotted mean?

Ethical hand-knotted means a hand-knotted rug made with fair pay, no child labour, openness about where and by whom it is made, and production that can be traced. The term has no legal definition, so buyers should ask for proof: in-house production, visit access and photo updates through production.

Last updated: 30 October 2026

What ethical hand-knotted means in practice

"Ethical" is not a legally defined term for rugs, so it only means something when a maker can show what stands behind it. In practice it covers four things: people are paid fairly, no child labour is used, the maker is open about how and where the rug is made, and production can be traced from yarn to finished piece. Hand-knotted describes the construction, not the ethics, so the two claims must be checked separately.

Treat the word as a question, not an answer. The sections below list what to ask and what a buyer can verify for themselves.

The four things to check

Ethical production: what to ask and what you can verify
Area	What to ask	What you can verify
Fair wages	How are weavers paid, and is it by the piece, the day or the month?	A clear answer, and whether the maker will discuss it openly
No child labour	Who works on the looms, and how is that monitored?	A written policy, third-party programmes if any, and a site visit
Transparency	Where exactly is my rug made, by whom, and can I see it?	Named production site, visit access, photo updates
Traceability	Is it made in-house or passed to subcontractors?	In-house production, or a named and visited chain

Questions to ask any rug manufacturer

Is production in-house, or is the work given to outside units? If outsourced, can you name them?
Can I visit the production site, or have someone I trust visit it?
Will you send photographs while my order is being made, not only at the end?
What does your child-labour policy say, and how is it checked?
Which registrations or certifications do you hold, and are they in your own name? Be wary of a badge that belongs to a programme the maker has not joined.
How are weavers paid, and will you describe it plainly?

What we can state about Raheem and Son

We state only what we can stand behind. Raheem and Son has made rugs in Bhadohi since 1927. Production is in-house, handmade only. You are welcome to visit: write to sales@raheemandson.com to arrange it. Photo updates are sent through production, so you see the order as it is made. Our registration is with the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), and we claim no certification beyond that.

For the full list of what we hold and what each scheme means, read rug certifications explained and our standards.

Third-party schemes: how to read them

Independent programmes exist for the rug trade, and a maker that has joined one will say so and give a licence or registration you can check with the programme itself. If a supplier mentions a scheme, ask for the number and confirm it directly. Our guide to sustainable and ethical rug sourcing describes how such schemes work in general. It describes the schemes, not our own status.

Verify before you order

The surest checks are a visit, photo updates and a plain answer to each question above. Use the rug manufacturer checklist and how to choose a rug manufacturer in India, then look at the sampling process to see how an order starts. Our weaving page shows how a rug is made.

Request a quote and ask us anything

Send your design, size and estimated quantity. We reply within two business days, usually within one. Minimum order: 1 piece. Sampling cost is credited against your order. Payment: 50% advance, 50% before dispatch.

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