Have you been paying attention to our Fashion Friday posts? If so, here is your chance to learn more about the stories behind the products and the companies.
Today, I am going to tell you a bit more about Mata Traders.
Mata Traders was founded in 2003 by two best friends, Maureen and Michelle. Their fair trade journey began with a round the world trip. After their trip, Michelle went to grad school and Maureen continued to travel back to India for buying trips. People loved the products she brought back and her business began to grow. During her buying trips, Maureen became aware of the extreme poverty throughout India. She took her buying power as an opportunity to make a difference — seeking out fair trade producers. Today, Michelle has joined Maureen, and the two work with organizations in India and Nepal that educate, employ and empower women.
Here’s a video of Maureen and Michelle telling the story behind their products. It’s extremely empowering and heartfelt.
Lastly, I want to tell you a bit more about the women and how they make the clothing. In India, traditional methods of fabric production have existed since the 12th century. However, with globalization and technology, they are beginning to disappear. In effect, block printers and weavers often find themselves without jobs. Therefore, it is the goal of Mata Traders to support and sustain these communities by using the traditional methods of hand-weaving and block-printing in their clothing line. Here are some photos of the women and their work.
- photos from matatraders.com/