If you’ve fished around our site at all lately, you’ve noticed – we have a new look! Our old website had been up since 2007 so we were well overdue for an upgrade. Imagine our delight when we found just the person for the job – Jess from June Letters Studio. Her designs are clean and refreshing, and her hand lettering is to die for. We knew in an instant that she was the perfect person to handle the new Mata look moving forward.
Ethical Fashion Blog
Exciting news! The Mata Dressember team has already reached their fundraising goal of $1,000! Thank you so much to all those who have donated – your support will help fight slavery and human trafficking throughout the world. You can still donate to Mata’s Dressember team through the end of the month, and be part of a movement that has already collectively raised over $400,000 in the first two weeks of December!
What are you planning to wear this holiday season? A few of our employees have already picked a theme for this month: Dresses! Why? Because we’re participating in the annual Dressember event, hosted by the Dressember Foundation, to bring an end to modern day slavery and human trafficking. By committing to wear a dress everyday in December, and encouraging friends and family to donate, our employees will help raise money to assist victims of slavery, sexual exploitation, and violence. In 2014, Dressember raised over $465,000, and we’re excited to see how much is raised this year!
If you read our blog regularly, you know that one of the perks of being a member of a fair trade cooperative is the opportunity to take classes and attend workshops. One of our artisan cooperatives recently updated us on what they’ve been doing– they’ve been celebrating and learning quite a bit!A
India is the kind of place where a Mercedes Benz will pull up next to an ox cart at a stop light, and a man in an ...
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It’s that time of year again – the long days and warm nights turn into brisk days and chilly evenings. Throw on your favorite cardigan and grab your books. It’s back to school time.
The beginning of fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Though I’m sad that summer (and my internship with Mata Traders) has come to an end, I can’t help but be excited for the crisp air and for feelings of a fresh start to settle in – it’s a new school year for me! Fall wardrobes are an especially big part of my love for this season. I’m a practical girl, and there is so much that can be done with a fall dress with the help of layering and accessorizing. Take a look at these Mata dresses that can easily go from a casual day look in the classroom or workplace to a more sophisticated nighttime look for, you know, dates and things.
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If you know the story of Mata, you know that us Mata folk love to travel. We love it a lot, and I personally try to take advantage of every opportunity I have to go out into the world to explore. I’m the kind of person who will drop everything and move to Mexico for a year (to teach English) or embark on a round-the-world adventure with 2 friends (that’s how Mata started).
I am an intern here at Mata Traders for the summer and despite the cold weather drifting in, this summer has been great! I started here at the beginning of June and have loved it so much. As a college student finding what to do over the summer is always a daunting task. This year I was torn between if I should find a summer job and work to save up for studying abroad or if I should find an internship to continue pursuing what I love. Somehow I must’ve run into a bit of luck because I found two opportunities that allowed me to do both! When I am not here interning at Mata Traders, I am at a hidden gem: The Chicago Botanic Gardens.
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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!
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.