Spring ’16 samples are here, which can only mean one thing – we need your help! We have to whittle this collection down to a lean, mean, stylish fair trade machine, and your opinions matter!
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Ethical Fashion Blog
Just in time for the holiday coming up, we’ve got some style inspiration for all of your 4th of July festivities (plus we have a fun giveaway going on – win your very own red, white, and blue Mata to wear for the 4th!). Though they may not have stars or stripes, quite a few pieces from our spring collection really fit the bill when it comes to a patriotic look. See for yourself!
![BABY YOU’RE A FIREWORK [GIVEAWAY CLOSED]](http://matatraders.com/cdn/shop/articles/Explosion5-514x600.jpg?v=1509172483&width=1)
It’s that time again! Nice weather brings sunny dispositions, lazy afternoons, and that feeling we all know and love: an itch for some new clothes. If you haven’t done your spring or summer shopping yet (you’ve seen our new collection, right?), take “patriotic dress” off of your list, because we’re giving you a chance to win a dynamite dress– our Fireworks Giveaway begins TODAY!
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No matter what season it is, geometric shapes, edges, and angles are always in style. I’m constantly flipping through books in the library on all things design, because anything can become inspiration for a Mata pattern. My apartment is not only full of books on traditional textiles but also books on furniture, architecture and fashion– you never know what’ll stick. Every once in a while I find a piece of a chair, section of a building, or shape of a hat that I sketch, tessellate, and it eventually becomes part of the collection.
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It’s hard to think about with all of this heat but our fall collection is almost here, you guys! We figured you might be itching for a sneak peek so thought we’d let you in on some behind the scenes action from our fall ’15 catalog shoot.
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Two weeks ago a new documentary called ‘The True Cost’ premiered in Chicago, and the ladies at Mata wouldn’t miss it for the world – we’d been waiting for this screening for weeks. Afterwards there was a discussion panel, and we all got to meet the director himself, Andrew Morgan!
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Isn’t it hard to believe that we design these prints almost a year and a half before they hit the shelves? It’s especially difficult for us to think about the beautiful spring and summer weather when we’re experiencing the frozen mess that is a Chicago winter. Dreaming about warmer weather thawed my brain last winter, and I started to get excited about all the berries I would pick and eat once summer time rolls around! Thus began the inspiration for this print:
With the weather finally warming up here in Chicago, it’s hard to believe our Spring 2015 collection has been in stores for a few months! We’re always excited to see how the shops style and display Mata, and so far this season, they have not let us down.
You might know it as a wine. But the color marsala, as full-bodied as its beverage counterpart, is receiving an honor it hasn’t before: it’s been named as Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2015.
This just in: pineapples are the tastiest and quirkiest trend this spring! I’ve seen them everywhere – from earrings and pillows to clutches and iPhone cases. Lucky for you, we designed a pineapple print for this spring season!
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Have you ever tried wearing a sari? It’s a little more elaborate than a typical American outfit (shirt and jeans or a simple dress, for example). First, the blouse is worn (blouses vary in styles and embellishments). Then a floor-length petticoat is tied at the waist, while the upper part of the sari is tucked into the petticoat and wrapped around the body. The rest is draped over the left shoulder, often fastened with a safety pin to prevent it from falling off. While a bit challenging for beginners to learn, mastering the process of dressing in a sari brings a lot of elegance and pride to the women that wear them.
You’re real. We’re real. Ok, everyone’s real.
But our point is – everybody can wear Mata! People you walk by on the sidewalk, people with babies or dogs or purses or carrying groceries. People that like to get dressed up and people that are more comfortable in casual clothes. Singers, runners, relaxers, go-getters –really, anyone.
The days are getting a bit warmer, the sun is sticking around longer than it used to, and… what? Are those leaves on the trees?! Spring is here. Barefoot season has arrived. Painted toe nail season. Lemonade season. DRESS season.
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Hi Guys! I’m Hyunmin, a Mata Traders intern from Korea, and I’m back on the blog to celebrate World Fair Trade Day. Yay!
A few weeks ago, we discovered a campaign created by the Canadian Fair Trade Network. It highlights the point that a garment’s tag really doesn’t tell you much. Made in India, huh?