Uncommonly Vibrant Clothing Crafted with Heritage Techniques: Meet Mata Traders
Founded in 2005 by three best friends who fell in love with India’s vibrant textiles and culture, Mata Traders is a fair trade fashion brand creating colorful clothing in fun silhouettes.
The vintage-inspired ethical fashion label that started with humble beginnings has since evolved into a powerhouse brand, paving the way for a better, more sustainable garment industry. Throughout their growth, Mata Traders has continued to respect and celebrate its roots, partnering with artisans in India and Nepal who use traditional techniques for their unique creations.
Fair Trade Foundations
This powerhouse brand’s success lies in its partnership with trusted fair trade organizations and cooperatives in India and Nepal. The cooperatives Mata Traders partners with have been investing in their communities and creating real change on-the-ground for decades, paying their artisans fair, above-minimum wages, offer training and workshops, and ensuring access to health care.
Gender equality is a fundamental value for Mata Traders’ production facilities where women are encouraged into leadership roles, and the co-ops support their child care needs by offering daycare. Because of the sustainable, ethical employment theses cooperatives can offer, hundreds of women artisans have sent their children to school. Many women have developed an attitude of advocacy in their own lives that exists far beyond the artisan workshops’ walls.
A Celebration of Heritage Crafts
In addition to economic opportunities, the cooperatives support the preservation of time-honored handicraft techniques passed down through the generations, such as hand block printing, hand embroidery, and screen printing. These cooperative members are experienced craftspeople who bring their own sets of unique skills and talents to the co-op. Artisans also continue to gain proficiency and learn new techniques during their time working with the cooperatives.
These heritage crafts’ unique beauty is evident in Mata Traders’ uncommonly vibrant and exquisitely detailed clothing. With their colorful collections of everyday womenswear designed with original prints and enhanced with distinctive techniques, season after season Mata Traders’ pieces continue to stand out.
Earth-Friendly Operations
Mata Traders values sustainability as a cornerstone of their business, which they ensure ids followed through with their artisan partners’ practices. The brand’s slow-made collections include both crisp linen and organic cotton garments and comfy silky modal and Tencel. Mata Traders’ concern for environmental welfare is apparent in their partner cooperatives’ substantial and goal-oriented efforts to install solar panels and move their production facilities towards being entirely powered by clean energy.
Truly Sustainable Style
Ethical business practices are at the core of everything Mata Traders does, and social responsibility is not just an after-thought or secondary consideration. Fair trade principles are evident throughout all of the company’s operations. Mata Traders firmly believes that an ethical option shouldn’t be the alternative, nor should it sacrifice style. Fair fashion can and should be fun, stylish, and appealing. That’s why the brand’s soft cotton and linen pieces (which often come with hidden pockets!) are designed to fit right into your life and your wardrobe effortlessly.
Our Top Picks from Mata Traders
Mata Traders celebrates modern femininity through their artisan-crafted, quality garments that will last the test of time. Here are a few of our favorite pieces from the fair trade brand:
Mata Traders Mauve Novela Organic Dress — $88
This organic cotton ¾-sleeve dress will be your go-to for a dependable classic dress-up-or-down piece. Constructed from super-soft jersey fabric and designed with a fun retro flair, this dress can easily be worn all day or all night.
Mata Traders Marnie Full Moon Block-Printed Dress — $124
Simple, yet vibrantly hued, Mata Trader’s block-printed dress is the perfect easy-breezy piece to keep you comfy — and looking chic — through any weather. Want a smaller dose of this full-moon print? Pair the brand’s Smocked Full-Moon Block-Printed Skirt with a neutral tee or turtleneck.
Mata Traders Napa Long Sleeve Dress— $104
We may not be able to spend the fall in Napa, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dress up in a vineyard-inspired frock for a bit of a creative escape during the cooler days ahead. The long-sleeve dress is block-printed by hand and features striking details like hand embroidery and hidden pockets.
