"Let’s face it — child labor is not a sexy topic," says Stephanie Odegard, founder and president of the prestigious rug company that bears her name in Minneapolis and New York.

"But child labor is a major scourge in the carpet industry, and not something most people like to talk about or face," she added.

Odegard hopes to change some minds Thursday (Feb. 19) night, when she hosts a reception at her North Second Street shop. The event will also introduce people to the Children's Theatre Company’s upcoming production of "Iqbal" (March 3-29). The play is based on the life of child-activist Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani carpet laborer who was rescued at age 10, was awarded the Reebok Human Rights Award for his activism in and outside of the carpet mills, and murdered in 1995.

Odegard hopes to raise awareness of RugMark, the child-labor activist organization and reportedly the only child-labor-free certification program in the world.

According to the RugMark website, "Child labor is a crime committed against nearly 220 million children, or one in every seven, ages 5 to 17, around the world. ... Many of the worst forms of child labor are a problem in India, Nepal and Pakistan, where RugMark operates. These include child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, bonded child labor, child domestic work and the recruitment and use of children for armed conflict or drug trafficking.

"The story of Igbal is an important one, and children are huge motivators in the public consciousness," said Odegard, who’s also a director of the RugMark Foundation. "We feel the best way to increase understanding of the issue right now is through consumer awareness. If people, when buying new handmade carpets, insist on a RugMark certified product, that’s a move in the right direction toward increased awareness of this issue."

RugMark benefit, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Odegard at Michael Sydney Ltd. 210 N. Second St., Suite 100, Minneapolis. (Free). 612-455-6100.