MATT AND NAT

Some ideas sneak up on you as if they were always meant to be. The idea behind MAT(T)ERIAL and NATURE originally came to life in 1995, in beautiful Montreal. We’re passionate and in awe of the world that surrounds us. Being inspired by MAT(T)erial and NATure means exploring the synergy between the two, the reflection of one on the other. At Matt & Nat, we live by a simple motto, “Live beautifully”. Living beautifully means appreciating the humanity, creativity and positivity found in all of us. Our values include social responsibility, excellence, inclusiveness, integrity, learning, authenticity and, of course, love. We are inspired by the textures and hues of nature and, to better protect it, we aim to constantly better our ways. From the start, being committed to not using leather or any other animal-based materials in our designs felt natural to us. Each season, we continue to explore new innovative ways to remain sustainable and eco-friendly. Over the years, we’ve been experimenting with different recycled materials such as recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork. Since 2007, we’ve been committed to using linings only made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles. We have also recently introduced recycled bicycle tires to our collections. Matt & Nat collections can now be found in boutiques across Canada, the United States, the UK, Japan, Germany and Australia. MATT & NAT stands for MAT(T)ERIAL + NATURE. M&N is a vegan brand therefore there are no animal products used in production. In 2010, the UN reported that the best way to protect the environment is to adopt a vegan/vegetarian diet, given the harmful effects of factory farming. The linings inside all MATT & NAT bags are made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles. In addition to being vegan, sustainable materials are constantly sourced in design such as cork and rubber. The head office in Montreal, Canada is a ‘cruelty free’ zone. On the last Friday of every month the staff hold a vegetarian potluck at which time employees’ birthdays are celebrated with vegan cupcakes! Various vegan leathers are used in production, the scientific terms are PU (polyurethane) and PVC (polyvinylchloride). PU is less harmful for the environment than PVC and we make it a point to use it whenever possible. We continuously try to improve the standards for all our materials. One of our factories operates by the SA8000 standard and we hope to make this standard a bigger part of our production going forward. We visit diligently each factory and build strong personal relationships with their owners; they too are a part of the Matt & Nat family. This involvement in the making of our bags ensures integrity every step of the way. MATT & NAT design and produce their own custom hardware. Over the years, some great brand ambassadors of M&N have included Nathalie Portman, Fearne Cotton, Olivia Wilde, Charlize Theron, Rory Freidman, Emily Deschanel, Tobey Maguire and Adrian Grenier. MATT & NAT encourages their team to volunteer as much as possible, when schedule permits. MATT & NAT encourages upcycling. If you haven’t used it in the last six months, someone else can! Donate your used bags to the following organizations: dressforsuccess.org