Lifelong partnership
Finarte carpets have been manufactured in India since 1991. Our rug production affects more than 500 families, and we feel responsible for their well-being. We want to support the local communities in many ways: read more of our impact below.
Co-operation turned into friendship
We have been manufacturing rugs in India since 1991. The founders of Finarte, Eija Rasinmäki and Erkki Immonen, and their daughter, current CEO Larissa Immonen, have visited India at least twice a year since then (excl. COVID era 2020-2021). In addition, Larissa and Eija lived in India for several years from 2005 to 2008. Cooperation with Indians has become partnerships in which both parties work to create more environmentally friendly and sustainable products.
Read more abaut our partners
Guided by Code of Conduct
All our partners and suppliers must sign our Code of Conduct. Our Code of Conduct obliges our partners to report the entire production chain and subcontractors. Our suppliers are responsible for ensuring that all subcontractors act responsibly and follow the local law and international agreements, such as the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Social sustainability certificates
Most of our partners have the prestigious social responsibility certificates SA8000 or amfori BSCI, which guarantees fair treatment of employees. SA8000 certification means that our partners take into account not only the fair working and operating conditions of employees and subcontractors, but also the social impact of their own operations. The certificate is valid for three years at a time and the required surveillance inspections are carried out throughout this period.
read more about our materialsAgainst child labor
All employees are of working age and child labor is strictly prohibited. Our partners are also part of Care & Fair or GoodWeave organizations, which fight against the use of child labor and strive to improve the living conditions of carpet weavers and their families. In addition, our partners have funded schools in their respective areas.
Trace the thread - follow finarte rug's journey
Empowered by education
We sponsored a two-year training program, supported by the Finnish Government, in which we taught local weavers our complex rug weaving techniques, which in turn, educated weavers can pass on to others in the community. Training has provided jobs and opportunities for both creative and professional growth. In addition, our designers Eija Rasinmäki and Mervi Pesonen have been visiting India for years to teach Finnish weaving techniques to local weavers.
read more about our transparencyAiming to improve opportunities for women and girls
Did you know that educating girls is one way to combat climate change? All of our partners have set up schools in their own areas to create better opportunities for local communities. For example, Indus Kleed has two partner schools, one is a free primary school for girls and the other is an educational institution that offers opportunities for university-going students.
Our partner company Indus Kleed is a family business in which the women of the family are strongly involved. In addition, our partners seek to influence attitudes by hiring women into positions that have traditionally been for men. Women’s employment is also promoted by providing tasks such as basket weaving, which can be done from home.
Fair design
According to the Finnish Textile & Fashion Association, about 80 percent of the value of a Finnish product remains in Finland, even if the manufacturing takes place elsewhere. By acquiring Finarte products, you support Finnish family entrepreneurship and employment both in Finland and abroad. Work in a developing country has a double positive effect: we can simultaneously support local employment and the well-being of our partners in both India and Finland.
About 80 percent of the value of a Finnish product remains in Finland, even if the production takes place abroad.
Our honesty extends not only to our foreign partners, but also to the Finnish designers we work with. We always pay talented designers a fair reward for their work. Our cooperation is based on a royalty agreement, in which the product designer receives their share of each product sold.
read more about our designers