Who Makes Mata

The backbone of fair trade fashion is its dedication to fairness, safety, gender equity, and direct, sustainable, and accountable relationships. Our commitment to the five producer groups that make Mata is long term, collaborative, and if we’re being honest, pretty freaking exciting.


Fair Trade Producers

We’d love for you to meet the five groups we partner with, and learn more about all that they do. We’re confident in their capabilities, honored by our partnership, and delighted to be able to further connect you with the hands behind your style.

Our Partnerships

We visit our producer partners biannually to work out any production issues and finalize designs (though COVID circumstances made that challenging). Fair trade requires more transparency than is typical, so while we know quite a bit about how our products are made, it’s important to clarify: they are our partners, not our employees. These organizations in many cases have been running for decades, true pioneers in fair trade fashion, and admirable in their rigid stance on the importance of investing in their communities. We are just a portion of their business, proud to have joined forces at a time of great growth for the fair trade movement, with excitement for the future ahead.

Creative Handicrafts

Mumbai, India
WFTO Guaranteed Fair Trade organization
Partner since: 2007

Founded in 1984, Creative is a social work-focused cooperative in Mumbai that has been creating woven pieces (including ikat!) for Mata since our start, most recently adding organic cotton jersey and Tencel to our lineup. Their partnership with fabric printers and textile makers extends throughout the country, but the 270 female makers who cooperatively own the organization work in almost a dozen tailoring units in either their solar powered main building in Mumbai, or nestled nearby. Creative also strives to better the lives of their members and residents of the surrounding community through schooling facilities, scholarships funds, life skill training, and savings and credit groups.

Learn more about Creative Handicrafts »

Sadhna

Udaipur, India
WFTO member
Partner since: 2007

All Mata pieces from Sadhna incorporate hand embroidery, as the 34-year old organization works hard to ensure consistent work for their vast network of applique and embroidery artisan members living in surrounding smaller villages. Their investment in community is evidenced by both long-term relationships with block and screen printers within their state/region as well as projects they've led more locally: distribution of food kits and sanitary napkins for COVID relief, medical health checks, training on various topics like financial literacy, reproductive health, and more.

Learn more about Sadhna »

Indigene Craft

Noida and Delhi, India
Partner since 2013

The goal of Indigene is to work with, preserve, and celebrate traditional craft and its masters in India. This objective is most radiant in the pieces from our line utilizing more specialized techniques like Indigo, Dabu, Ajrakh, and Kalamkari dyeing and printing. Collaboration with block printers, dyers, and weavers produces fabric to be stitched into garments, often with additional details like pintucking, at two small partner stitching units in Delhi. Any embroidery or embellishments are completed by a small home-based group of women, partners of Indigene's since their beginnings in 2011.

Learn more about Indigene Craft »

Mahaguthi Craft with a Conscience

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
WFTO Guaranteed Fair Trade organization
Partner since: 2009

For almost four decades, Mahaguthi has been bringing together masters of traditional art forms from Nepal's multi-ethnic society, providing market access and supporting over 1100 small craft producers throughout the country. Their newly acquired 4-story building houses a skilled apparel and sewn goods production team. Its rooftop panoramic views of the Himalayas are just as stunning as their hand screen printed fabrics and locally-made custom wovens, a staple in every one of our collections.

Learn more about Mahaguthi »

Tara Projects

Delhi, India
WFTO Guaranteed Fair Trade organization
Partner since: 2008

The heart and soul of Tara is its CEO, Moon, the daughter of Tara's founder and an extraordinary, outspoken social justice activist. In its over 55 years of existence(!), Tara has represented, marketed, and provided operational and production support for 25 artisan groups primarily in Delhi. Each workshop specializes in different craft techniques, ranging from jewelry-making, to weaving, stone and bone carving, metal, wood, and leather crafts, and more. Every piece of Mata jewelry is made by one of 450+ artisans in their network. Besides prohibiting child labor, common in the jewelry-making sector, Tara has a highly developed social work department, supporting the surrounding community through educational, health and wellness, finance, and environmental initiatives.

Learn more about Tara Projects »