Giving Back

When we started producing in Peru, we started to realize that making hand-made rugs was not just a modern day manufacturing process, but an ancient trade that has been passed down for 1000’s of years from the ancient Inca civilization. Each Weaver told a story of how someone in their family taught them the ancient skill. We started to notice that every Weaver and his/her loom fed, clothed, and sheltered an entire family unit. It was the lifestyle in which the Weavers lived that spawn our tag line, “Every Rug Creates an Opportunity.” The opportunity is that every rug produced for Sumaq a piece of the revenue goes back directly to the weaver.

When trying to get more weavers on board with Sumaq we realized very few could afford the looms to produce the rugs. Because all Sumaq Rugs are produced in the Weaver’s workshop or home it is their responsibility to provide the tools, such as a Carpenter would bring his tool box to build a house. However, the lack of available cash and access to credit hampered the Weavers to invest in the proper tools.

It was this dilemma that spurred us to providing a lending program to our Weavers, a program 100% funded by the purchase of each Sumaq Rug. 5% of the revenue of ever rug goes into a Micro-financing fund distributed directly to our Weavers. The program is designed to increase the number of looms in a community, which directly employees and supports more family units.

However, the true gift is giving the people in rural areas in Andes of Peru, well paid jobs without having to leave their families for a low paying manufacturing job in a big city. The critical ingredient is that we provide all Weavers a ‘living wage’ where they can support a family. Our wages are some of the highest wages for Weavers in Peru.

Environmentally, we have created a carbon neutral company where every rug shipped, we off-set it by planting trees in North America. As you may know ever Sumaq Rug is made specifically for you and shipped to you directly from our Weaver in Peru. Due to our heavy reliance on air shipping we felt it was our environmental responsibility to address this issue.

The final outcome is the world’s finest quality rug made in a way that every step along the supply chain processes the social and environmental impacts has been addressed. Our goal is that every rug purchased creates an opportunity for you to indirectly give back in exchange for a custom hand-made Alpaca rug that is as unique as you are.

Our drive to refine and give back is not a just a goal we have for our company, but also as a challenge manufacturers and brands throughout the world to look at the social, environmental, and financial aspects of their supply chains. Together at Sumaq Rugs we believe every product can create an opportunity.