Obeetee
| Industry | Handmade Carpet Industry |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1920 |
| Website | obeetee.in |
Obeetee Pvt Ltd is an Indian hand-knotted carpet and hand tufted carpet manufacturer founded in 1920, and now India's largest carpet-maker.[1] It is based primarily in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district, within the so-called 'carpet belt' of India. The Carpet Belt of north India spreads west from the city of Allahabad, east through Bhadohi, over to Varanasi along the banks of the Ganga River.[2]
History
[edit]The company was originally formed as a partnership firm under the names of its three founders: F.H. Oakley, F.H. Bowden and Taylor.[3] In 1932, this partnership was dissolved, and the new company was formed using the initials of the original founders (OBT) to create the name Obeetee.[4]
Obeetee was the first hand-knotted carpet-makers to be permitted to use the Woolmark.[5] The current chairman of the company is Mr. Rudra Chatterjee, who was preceded by Mr. Edward Oakley, the grandnephew of the F.H. Oakley who co-founded it.[6]
The company claims to be reducing to reduce the use of child labor in the manufacturing of its carpets, and in the region as a whole. It implemented a 'no child labor' policy in the 1980s and funds the Carpet Export Promotion Council of India and the Children Emancipation Society to run education, health, training and welfare programs for children.[7] The company has loom supervisors and inspectors in each of its twenty-five depots who are responsible for finding and reporting any children working.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Rajan, Sujeet (24 May 2018). "Obeetee launches new collection by Abraham & Thakore in New York City". Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "India's carpet industry plagued by child labor". Connect the World. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ Tirthankar, Roy (2018). A business history of India : enterprise and the emergence of capitalism from 1700. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107186927.
- ^ Gundevia, Y.D. (17 October 2008). In the districts of the Raj. Orient Longman. p. 198. ISBN 978-0863113079.
- ^ "Obeetee Pvt Ltd". India Today. 13 (13–20). 1988. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "Obeetee". The Economist: 56. 1995. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ Murphy, Kara; Sislin, John (2009). Approaches to reducing the use of forced or child labor : summary of a workshop on assessing practice. National Academies Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-0309145282.
- ^ Tully, Mark (2017). India in Slow Motion. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-9351180975.