SPRING/SUMMER LOVE
- Laura Mobley
- 20 Nov, 2011
About a month ago I had the pleasure of posing for Mata’s Spring/Summer 2012 catalog shoot. It was on location in New Buffalo, MI which... Read More ››
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE CO-OP?
- Jonit Bookheim
- 12 Oct, 2011
Mata Traders’ fair trade clothing is made in India and Nepal by women’s cooperatives. Last summer I got the chance to visit three of them. I had... Read More ››
VISITING THE BLOCKPRINTERS
- Jonit Bookheim
- 17 Sep, 2011
Maureen and Kristin are in India at the moment working with the co-ops on next Spring’s collection and even getting started on Fall 2012. This... Read More ››
Mamas and Babies
- Jonit Mata
- 14 Oct, 2010
Mata means mother in Hindi, and we are always inspired by the strength and dedication of the mothers we meet in India. Read More ››
BOHRA LADIES
- Mata Traders
- 26 Sep, 2010
Everywhere we went, we noticed women wearing colorful, embroidered outfits that had a long skirt and a hooded waist-length cape. Rather than a fashion craze,... Read More ››
JHOOLE
- Michelle Thomas
- 22 Sep, 2010
We want to thank Hannah Warren, founder and Executive Director of Jhoole, for being such a fabulous host! We spent two lovely days designing in the... Read More ››
A Day In The Sampling Unit...
- Michelle Thomas
- 14 Sep, 2010
For me – up at 7 AM to watch the sun rise like a ball of fury over the lake. For the first time in years... Read More ››
Designing Women
- Michelle Thomas
- 10 Sep, 2010
I arrived on Wednesday morning at our co-op in Rajasthan to find our Spring 2011 collection well on its way toward completion, since Maureen was... Read More ››
MODESTY A LA MODE
- Jonit Mata
- 06 Sep, 2010
My second day here at the cooperative in Mumbai were were eating lunch with some of the ladies and the topic of shorts came up.... Read More ››
Catalog Appreciation Day
- Jonit Bookheim
- 06 Sep, 2010
This week, Taylor has been creating our Fall/Winter 2011 catalog. As you can imagine, it is quite an endeavor: photographing the samples, writing descriptions, designing... Read More ››
Ladies Who Lunch
- Jonit Bookheim
- 04 Sep, 2010
Michelle and Maureen have lunch with a few ladies from our cooperative in Mumbai. Read More ››
THE RAIN IN BOMBAY FALLS MAINLY ALL THE TIME
- Jonit Bookheim
- 01 Sep, 2010
I’ve had 3 full days now back in India (last time I was here it was 2004) and the main thing to report is that... Read More ››
Mix and Match Tibetan Fashion
- Maureen Fetscher
- 19 Aug, 2010
I just ended a week in Kathmandu working with our new fair trade partners on Spring 2011 designs. I got so inspired by the colorful... Read More ››
Harshali’s Story (everything is connected)
- Maureen Fetscher
- 04 Aug, 2010
I met Harshali two years ago when she was a shy 17 year old with limited English speaking skills. At that time she was working... Read More ››
Emails from India and a Loooooooooooooooooong shanti letter
- Mata Traders
- 15 Jul, 2010
Michelle, Maureen, and I first went to India in December 2003 and spent 4 months backpacking the country as part of a longer round-the-world adventure. ... Read More ››
Everybody needs an Auntie
- Mata Traders
- 02 Jul, 2010
“Surita Auntiiiieeee!” This is a common call at our women’s cooperative in Mumbai and is usually shouted out in a high-pitched Hindi lilt. What is... Read More ››
News from Bihar, where our beads come from
- Mata Traders
- 24 May, 2010
Looks like there are signs of improvement in Bihar, one of India’s most impoverished states and the location of many of our bead producer groups.... Read More ››
Thanks for reading...
- Jonit Bookheim
- 01 May, 2010
Welcome to Mata Traders' blog! We'll use this space so you can learn more about Mata Traders and the women's cooperatives and artisans that make... Read More ››