20 Years of Design: The Evolution of Matr Boomie Products

As we take a trip down memory lane for our 20th Anniversary, we are revisiting the archives to share the stories that defined us. Behind every product in our catalog lies a journey of serendipity, sustainability, and social impact. From our early days as Handmade Expressions to our current collections, here is how our fair trade mission evolved.

Roots in Eco-Friendly Textiles

In our early years, our product line was heavily focused on textiles, particularly bags and scarves crafted by talented women artisans.

The Tree of Life Messenger: One of our first original designs involved transitioning a beautiful reverse appliqué pattern from traditional wall hangings onto messenger and book bags. This "Tree of Life" design was so foundational that it inspired our very first company logo.

The Eco Shopper: This was our original "hero" product, crafted with 100% natural dyes. While the rising cost of these dyes eventually made the collection too expensive to continue, these bags remain a legendary part of our history.

Innovation through Upcycling

We’ve always believed in finding beauty in the unexpected, leading to some of our most unique upcycled collections.

Journals from Recycled School Notes: One of our most nostalgic paper collections featured journals made from actual discarded school notebooks. Our artisans treated the pages with tea water to give them a unique, aged bronze accent. Today, our paper line remains 100% recycled from cotton waste.

Newspaper Gift Bags: We once transformed regular newspapers into custom-printed bags. Because our artisans didn't read English at the time, the headlines on the front were sometimes surprisingly negative or worrisome—a humorous hurdle in our early fair trade journey!

The Power of "Accidental" Collections

Some of our most successful categories weren't planned; they were born out of a desire to support artisan communities in transition.

The Buddha Knot & Artisan Jewelry: We didn’t originally carry jewelry, but we launched a collection to support a struggling, entrepreneurial artisan group. This move introduced iconic designs like the Buddha Knot collection, and jewelry has since become one of our top-performing categories.

The Fan-Favorite Eyeglass Holder: Our expansion into wood products happened when we took over best-selling designs from a wholesaler that was closing. This brought us puzzle boxes, games, and the wood eyeglass holder—a piece that remains a fan favorite decades later.

Trade Show Decor Turned Best-Seller: Our bells and chimes collection started when Manish, our CEO and founder, used a set of bells simply to decorate a trade show booth. When store owners insisted on buying the decor right off the walls, we realized these bells were a perfect fit for our line.

Our evolution over the last 20 years proves that fair trade is a two-way street. By following the talent of our artisans and staying open to new materials, we’ve built a diverse, sustainable line that continues to grow.

Do you recognize the spirit of our early days in these stories? If you still have one of our original pieces tucked away, send us a message or a photo, we’d love to see it!