Our co-founder, Michelle, writes about International Women's Day and this year's Choose to Challenge theme reflecting on two Chicagoans: her own mother, and former first lady Michelle Obama.
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Ethical Fashion Blog
This Fashion Revolution Week let's unite to make fashion a force for good! Check out our handy resource guide on ways you can get involved with the fashion revolution no matter where you are.
Happy Women’s History Month! As March comes to an end, we want to recognize the skilled female artisans who craft many of Mata Traders’ pieces, as well as pay tribute to strong, inspirational women of India who’ve made their mark on history. Below is a compilation of just a few of the courageous women who have broken down barriers and changed their country for the better.
Today is International Women’s Day, a day to acknowledge the perseverance and determination of women everywhere. What better way to celebrate than by supporting your local and nationwide women-owned businesses (luckily, Chicago is FULL of them)! We compiled a list of just some of the hundreds of thousands of women-owned businesses nationwide, so you know your money is going to a fellow female. Happy shopping/eating/spending!
When our founder Maureen started Mata, she had two best friends, Jonit and Michelle, by her side on a ’round the world trip. While she knew those relationships would last a lifetime, it was anybody’s guess that those friends would be her business partners at a thriving fair trade fashion company over a decade later!
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As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, Mata is happy to use Fair Trade Month as an excuse to introduce a new way of talking about what fair trade is and what it means for the people who are doing this work: 360° fair trade. Our commitment to social, economic, and environmental responsibilities goes beyond fair wages and safe conditions. Fair Trade Federation members are also committed to building long-term and holistic partnerships with small farmers and artisan producer groups. These meaningful relationships in turn empower small farmers and artisans to sustainably grow and develop their businesses and communities.
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So, you’ve read about the environmental and social damages of fast fashion and the failure of retailers or factories to adequately improve working conditions and you’ve decided to make the leap into more conscious consumerism.
Retailers and Factories Fail to Live Up to Promises to Improve Worker Conditions
Three years after the infamous Rana Plaza factory collapse killed over 1,100 garment factory workers in Bangladesh, reports show there are many significant safety hazards that remain in the country’s garment factories, as demonstrated by the recent Bangladesh factory fire this past February.
When you think of the word “fashion,” what comes to mind? Bright lights, bumping music, and models stomping down a white runway?
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If you are in the Chicago area, join us for the biggest fair trade event in the USA! Chicago Fair Trade’s annual 2-day World Fair Trade festival and market will take place at Daley Plaza from 9am to 6pm on Wednesday, May 4, and Thursday, May 5. Come visit Mata at our booth, where we will be selling a large selection of clothing and jewelry, including sale items and one-of-a-kind samples!
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On April 24, 2013, 1,124 people were killed and over 2,500 injured when the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Fashion Revolution Day was started to honor the memory of the workers who lost their lives and to advocate for brands to ensure the safety of the people who make their clothes. At Mata Traders, we share the core belief central to Fashion Revolution: that fashion can and should be made in a safe, clean, and beautiful way, where the people who make our clothing are valued and paid a fair wage.
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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
Did you know that today is World Elephant Day?! An estimated 100 African elephants are killed daily by poachers seeking ivory and meat. Today, people all over the world are coming together to protect and celebrate elephants, the largest land animals on the Earth. I love this cute photo of a Mama elephant with her baby:
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