India's Rug-Manufacturers - A Tragic Carpet Ride

Today, India is the undisputed and largest exporter of hand-made carpets. 400,000 people live from weaving carpets, whilst 2 million are involved in their production somewhere along the line. And even though these works of art fetch very high prices in Europe or America, the wages and working conditions of the craftsmen and women are still in a sorry state. Since 1995, Label Step, the fair trade organisation, has worked to bring about an improvement in the living conditions of the workers, and has definitely registered some success.

At the heart of this documentary is a journey along the so-called "carpet road" in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which is one of the most backward states in India. The documentary shows the life of agricultural workers, weavers, dyers and traders, and flies with the carpets to Europe.