It’s a new semester… and along with extra sniffly noses there is something else you’re guaranteed to see on campus: backpacks. One brand that has a lot more to it than first meets the eye is Matt & Nat. This Montreal-based company was started in 1995 and can be found in stores in Canada, the US, UK, Japan, Germany, Australia, and online. Their most famous products are backpacks but they also sell shoes, jewelry, boxes, notebooks, sunglass cases, and dog collars.
The name itself gives away this companies hidden powers: Matt & Nat comes from the phrase MAT(T)ERIAL and NATURE. Their core values are based on “social responsibility, excellence, inclusiveness, integrity, learning, authenticity, and love.”
They also focus more specifically on nature and sustainability by producing 100% vegan products. The company also uses recycled materials such as nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork to create their vegan leather. The lining inside the bags and products are made 100% from recycled plastic bottles – approximately 21 plastic water bottles are recycled for every bag that is produced! The main drawback for me is the price, their products definitely land on the more expensive side of things. Their extensive guarantees, on many of their products, help a bit with the original price tag.
In 2010, the UN reported the best way to protect the environment is to adopt a vegan/vegetarian diet because of the harmful effects of factory farming. The Matt & Nat blog also promotes vegan recipes, profiles ethical fashion bloggers, and shares tips for a more sustainable lifestyle.
The Matt & Nat HOPE Charity Campaign was also started in 2015 and works to support charitable organizations that share their same values. Some of the organizations that they’ve supported in the past include:
Wild Tomorrow Fund: dedicated to the protection of threatened and endangered
species and the habitats they depend on for survival.
Keep A Breast Foundation: uses art and educational programs to raise awareness of
methods of prevention and early detection of breast cancer
Fauna Foundation: creates a protected environment for neglected, abused farm and
domestic animals and former biomedical research chimpanzees.
Magic Bus: mentoring and utilizing sports as a catalyst for education
You can follow along more with the Matt & Nat products and lifestyle by following them on social media: Instagram Twitter Facebook and check them out their website: https://mattandnat.com/.
Happy start of the semester!
And remember, poppers, to see change, share change, be change.
Ethical: 9/10 Environmental: 9/10 Fashionable: 10/10 Affordability: 6/10
