Vignette Dress - Blue Floral

Handmade in India for Mata Traders by Mahaguthi Craft with a Conscience

"There’s meaning behind the name “Mahaguthi” as well - “maha” meaning “big,” and “guthi” meaning “cooperative.” It now represents and serves over 1100 makers (80% are women!) in artisan units and micro businesses throughout the Kathmandu Valley and 15 other districts across Nepal, crafting anything from metalwork and jewelry, to ceramics, furniture, and woolens. In the multicultural country of Nepal, there are 67 ethnic groups and 69 dialects. Many of these cultures are masters of one particular art form, and Mahaguthi is passionate about uniting them all, providing market access and support services for these traditional craft producers.

"Mahaguthi’s passion for their artisan network is matched by their dedication to community development and aid. Providing goods, skills training, financial assistance, rehabilitation programs, and social services to marginalized groups, especially women, is at the core of their business. In any national crisis, they are always present in major aid efforts, providing food delivery, shelter assistance, medical safety, fuel and more. Though difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic and other times of crisis, they make all efforts to direct revenue from sales of their goods to social work and capacity building.

From Mata Traders:

We officially recommend hand washing our woven cottons to keep the clothes in their best shape, since so many things are handprinted, indigo dyed, hand embroidered, etc.

Some customers may wish to machine wash their dresses – while we still officially recommend hand washing, we know anecdotally that washing with cold water on the delicate cycle with the gentlest of detergents seems to have good results. As does line or flat drying, followed by ironing or steaming (definitely no dryer!)

However, the more handmade details, the more we recommend handwashing.

Our organic jersey knits can be machine washed in cold water on a delicate cycle with gentle detergent.