Blue Bird Lalita Planter

On a trip back to his native India after years living in the US, Manish Gupta was struck anew by the extreme material poverty of his homeland. With deep respect for the rich culture of his home country and the potential of rural Indians, he began asking questions. After hundreds of conversations and even more cups of tea, Manish realized that he could come up with ways to help those without access to reach new markets via his new home in America. He started partnering with grassroots organizations to train unskilled women and men and help them become master artisans. He personally ensured that the materials were safe for people and kind to the land. At the same time with the help of his mother and sister, Manish established a team in India to guarantee clear, efficient communications and high-quality production. He gathered a team in Austin, Texas to design collections that would honor the culture, craft and capacity of Indian artisans and along the way, he met & married a beautiful, inspiring Indian designer, Ruchi, who quickly became his partner in life, love, and business! Nearly a decade later, the little company run out of Manish and Ruchi’s Austin apartment has grown into a leading fair trade wholesaler and innovator in ethical, sustainable business. Their in-house design team creates products that are timeless and totally custom to Matr Boomie. Unlike traditional import businesses, the roots of their company are in India. Being on the ground and working alongside their artisan gives them access to tools and resources. At Matr Boomie this is more than just business, they work diligently to provide a way to break the cycle of poverty in India and to empower partner communities. They go beyond fair wages and actively invest in development projects, healthcare, and education.

The name & the mission ... Traveling back 3,000 years to ancient India, you will hear Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages, spoken on the tongues of people walking in the streets and the inspiration for the Matr Boomie name. In Sanskrit, matr signifies ‘mother’ and boomie stands for ‘land’. Together, Matr Boomie means motherland, the ground we walk on, the creative source. Transcending borders and boundaries, Matr Boomie alludes to all the people and places who have shaped our character and woven our unique perspectives. It is not just the places we were born, but all the places we’ve seen and felt. This unifying principle of oneness is what we want to interweave into our business and culture. Here at Matr Boomie, our mission is to bring people and cultures closer together, where we dissolve our differences and celebrate our oneness. We want people to recognize that we all belong to one Mother Earth, one MotherLand.