Enthusiasm for modern design carpets

The breathtaking beauty and individual history of each design carpets at the Label STEP exhibition drew crowds of visitors to the Swiss trade show ‘muba’. The co-productions of creative minds from Kabul, Berlin, and Kathmandu also impressed the Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard.

On the opening day of this year's ‘muba’ the Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs Doris Leuthard visited the Label STEP exhibition booth. As head of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs ‘seco’ she chairs the competence centre that supported Label STEP from the outset and contributed largely to its present success. The fairtrade label has been active for better working and living conditions in all major carpet producing countries since 1997. At ‘muba 2009’ Label STEP exhibited a selection of modern design carpets. They tell success stories of multicultural collaboration and modern design. Here young creative minds from Afghanistan, Germany, Nepal, Switzerland, India and Iran together created textile pieces of floor-art.  

Gallery ambience to sign a contract

The carpet-loft ‘Bodenmann’ from Basel at ‘muba’ signed the licensee contact, thereby becoming the fair-trade label’s most recent partner. Behind the giant glass front of Bodenmann’s store, tradition and modernity are presented in skilful combinations. The assortment and location perfectly fit the message of Label STEP: Every handmade carpet is a work of art; if arranged and combined, textile art galleries come to life. In such a surrounding, pieces of designers and workers from around the world come to show their true beauty.

New Label STEP look and a first price from Afghanistan

The current generation of carpet producers also finds a correspondence in the new logo of Label STEP. At ‘muba’, it was presented to the public for the first time and met with great approval. Label STEP’s new appearance is plain and modern. The appending visual world by photographer Christian Aeberhard decorated the walls of the exhibition booth at muba. Additionally, the booth provided information on the production of the particular carpets. And, who engaged in reading the texts on the production countries, had solid chances to win one of the precious pieces. - Just as the winner of the first price did: She won a carpet by the Afghani Designer Rahim Walizada, which in Switzerland is exclusively distributed under the Name‚Dreamline Chobi’ by Label STEP-Partner Tesil AG located in Egerkingen. Thrilled about her prize the winner said: “This is something very special, you don’t get a carpet like this every day. It fits my living room perfectly! And that the carpet was traded under fair conditions makes it even more beautiful!”

Download the extensive dossier about the Label STEP exhibition (PDF document, 7.5 MB):

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events-muba-Dossier_E.pdf