SubscribeSign In
Collection by Erika Heet

Dwell and GoodWeave Explore Ethical Design

With a focus on ending child labor in the rug industry and beyond, a Dwell-hosted conversation in Los Angeles last month shed light on sustainable design practices.

Last week, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to two champions for children: Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi, the founder of GoodWeave, which works to end child labor in the rug industry. Last month, Dwell hosted a conversation at the Sherle Wagner showroom in Los Angeles, The Unseen Hand: Craft, Design, and Social Change that included Scott Welker, director of business development for GoodWeave, designer Kristi Nelson of KMNelson Design, designer Shirley Shivhon, and Ahmad Ahmadi, co-owner of Ariana Rugs. Evan Geoffroy, president of Sherle Wagner, welcomed guests to the standing-room-only event, which included a conversation about the steps designers can take to make informed choices on ethical sources that affect their and their clients’ buying decisions.

View 5 Photos
Evan Geoffroy of Sherle Wagner kicked off the evening.
Evan Geoffroy of Sherle Wagner kicked off the evening.
Against a background of Sherle Wagner vignettes, audience members listened to Ahmadi’s stories of Afghan weaving.
Against a background of Sherle Wagner vignettes, audience members listened to Ahmadi’s stories of Afghan weaving.
The audience learned about GoodWeave’s #StandwithSanju campaign, which aims to free all children of servitude. Welker also shared the Stand with Sanju video.
The audience learned about GoodWeave’s #StandwithSanju campaign, which aims to free all children of servitude. Welker also shared the Stand with Sanju video.
Panelists and hosts, from left: Scott Welker of GoodWeave, Kristi Nelson of KMNelson Design, Evan Geoffroy of Sherle Wagner, designer Shirley Shivhon, Dwell Los Angeles Editor Erika Heet, and Ahmad Ahmadi of Ariana Rugs. They stand before Great Wide Open, 2014, by Bryan Ricci, represented by and available through John Wolf Fine Art and recently exhibited by John Wolf at Aqua Art Miami.
Panelists and hosts, from left: Scott Welker of GoodWeave, Kristi Nelson of KMNelson Design, Evan Geoffroy of Sherle Wagner, designer Shirley Shivhon, Dwell Los Angeles Editor Erika Heet, and Ahmad Ahmadi of Ariana Rugs. They stand before Great Wide Open, 2014, by Bryan Ricci, represented by and available through John Wolf Fine Art and recently exhibited by John Wolf at Aqua Art Miami.