by Holly Huffstutler

Created on: November 22, 2010

Matt & Nat is an eco friendly accessories company founded by Inder Bedi in 1995 and based in Montreal, Quebec.

The company sprung from 30 days at age 18 when he was, according to a guest blog he wrote for crazysexylife.com, challenged by a Mahatma (a close friend of his father’s) to try vegetarianism for a month. The personal revelations of these thirty days, and an entrepreneurship class in law school, led to the formation of a design label that takes pride in being a self described eco-fashion pioneer. He was joined in this venture by partner Manny Kohli in 2000. 

Canadian Business Online included it on their Profit 100 list, an index of the top 100 fastest growing Canadian companies.

Matt & Nat is totally vegan, has never used animal skins or by products in its hand bags, jewelry, belts, backpacks and wallets. Alternatively, about 21 plastic bottles are recycled to make the linings for the bags and every accessory contains at least one recycled element.

Women’s shoulder bags are in the $75 to $15 dollar range. Belts hover around $40. Clutches, wallets and smaller handbags run from $40 to $125. The offerings for men are more expensive and utilitarian; mostly briefcases and small luggage pieces in the $200 range.

Of course “more utilitarian” is relative to this line as the colors and design of the women’s offerings are also understated with regards to patterns and designs. However, the colors are vibrant and the detailing is more elaborate (but never fussy) than on the men’s bags and belts. Many of the bags are adorned with beads and subtle arrangements of burnished metal discs suggesting, in their words, “a modern approach to primitive.” 

Stores are located in free standing boutiques and department stores in the UK, US and Canada. Neiman Marcus, Saks and Fred Segal all carry Matt & Nat. Most of their product is sold through the website mattandnat.com They currently ship to North America and Europe, but will consider shipping to other locations and offer free ground shipping over $50.

The company has stayed small, run by only 21 employees in 2008, but revenue has grown from one million in 2003 to 10 million in 2008. The company's success is attributed to the strength of their belief in their initially stated vegan goals, consistently interesting design, and (naturally for any design house that wants to get noticed) being photographed on the arms of various eco friendly and famous fashionistas.

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