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Ethical Fashion Blog
There's no better time than Fair Trade Month to celebrate all the good that comes from a fair partnership between producers and consumers. Throughout October, Mata is inviting fair trade fans and enterprises to share an image on Instagram of what fair trade looks like for them, with this hashtag: #whatfairtradelookslike.
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Ladies with a yen for compassionate fashion make a statement with both their wardrobes and their dollars. They set high standards for style (unique), quality (impeccable) and fit (flattering). And they celebrate the talents and traditions of artisans like those who handcraft Mata apparel and accessories in India and Nepal.
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The morning sun streaks across a bustling street in Mumbai.
Shakuntula has walked this path many times. After her husband’s death nearly two decades ago, she was in critical need of a steady job to support their young daughter. She came to the cooperative at the suggestion of a friend, 19 years ago.
In honor of today being Take Your Daughter (or Child) to Work Day here in the U.S., and in anticipation of Mother's Day, we figured some of you might be wondering what it's like to be a working mom at one of our partner cooperatives. You're curious, right?
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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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This past Saturday a horrific natural disaster struck the heart of Mata Traders’ artisan community. A magnitude 7.9 earthquake shook Nepal just after noon, with a strong aftershock occurring an hour later. Buildings were flattened, centuries-old temples were destroyed, and an earthquake-triggered avalanche on Mount Everest killed 17, injuring over 60 others. Smaller jolts hit the region for hours afterwards, leaving many buildings unstable, and causing panic among the people. Thousands have taken to the streets, sleeping outside in the rain and cold to avoid further building collapses, and access to drinking water and food remain a huge problem. With survivors still being pulled out of the rubble, it will take days until we know the full impact of the quake. It will take many years until the densely populated, and largely impoverished Himalayan country can come back from such a horrible event.
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?
If you’re like me, you probably don’t iron much. Maybe it’s too much of a hassle. Maybe you don’t have the time. Maybe you really buy clothing based on whether or not it will ever need to be ironed. Even once. Wait a minute, are you… me?
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Meet Leela, Uma, and Gopi.
They are stitchers who create the intricate embroidery and applique found on many of our garments and accessories. See them in action, stitching away:
Bonded labor, also known as debt bondage or indentured servitude, was declared illegal and officially outlawed in Nepal in 2000, and then again in 2006, and again in 2009. Why must the the Nepali government keep announcing freedom for bonded laborers? Well, it’s because the problem persists.
A few months ago, I told you about Sunita, a once-shy and exploited artisan who found empowerment through fair trade. She started her own fair trade artisan cooperative, called Sunita Handicrafts, and Mata Traders is one of their customers. Her group has made such pieces as the Tiered Wooden Necklace:
In this photo, the ladies of sewing center #5 display the garments they stitched from our catalogs. Thank you to all of our customers for helping us bring these talented women more work in the upcoming year!
Mata Traders is a fair trade fashion company, and we take both parts of that description very seriously. Our clothes and jewelry are manufactured by women’s cooperatives and artisan groups in developing countries that pay fair wages and provide safe working conditions. Our designs mix old-fashioned processes–such as hand loom weaving and hand block printing–with fashion-forward silhouettes and contemporary color palettes. Mata’s mission is to bring fair trade clothing to the forefront of the fashion industry–and to bring fashion to fair trade.
In September, Kristin and I visited the women’s cooperative in Nepal that makes many of our dresses, tops, and pants. It was so amazing to get to know the women and see the whole process. I hope these photos and video clips convey that.