About MA Trading Company
The Ansari’s – A Heritage of Craftsmanship and Design Innovation
MA Trading Company (MAT) is a multi generational business that operates worldwide and is synonymous with innovative design, modern ambiance, the latest trends and lifestyle products.
In 1942, a few years before India gained independence from Britain, Mohammed Ayub Ansari, a man of vision and commitment, entered the business of manufacturing and exporting handmade carpets. Being born into a weaving family and having worked as a weaver himself, Mohammed had a strong belief in ethical business practices, and treating people with respect and dignity; whether it was a customer or a worker in the factory. In 1966, his son, Naimullah Ansari, founded M.A. Trading Company and named it after his father. Naimullah Ansari took the initiative of finding new markets, and was also the driving force behind his design team. He introduced Scandinavian style hand woven woolen druggets/durries, and made MAT a well-known name in the marketplace.
MAT Tradition Continues with the Third Generation Ansari’s…
The family’s commitment to conducting business with the utmost integrity combined with their knowledge and love of hand woven rugs has enabled the Ansari’s to become one of the most trusted rug manufacturers.
MAT is now run by professionals under the leadership of the third generation; Shakeel Ansari as CEO and Rashid Ansari as COO. Now MAT specializes in designing, manufacturing and selling a wide variety of innovative designer rugs. Recent years have seen MAT grow into a well-known supplier to various brands and labels in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA.
The mother company, M.A. Trading Company, now operates weaving mills in Bhadohi (India), employing over 3,000 rug weavers and craftsmen. In 2006, its subsidiary company, M.A. Trading, Inc. established its presence in the US with sales and distribution facilities in Redondo Beach, CA and permanent showrooms across the states.
The Ansari brothers, together with an eminent team of master weavers, creative designers, colorists, and a powerhouse of sales professionals, are taking the family business forward to many new and exciting areas in the global marketplace.
OUR VISION
At MAT, we’re building on our heritage of creating beautiful flooring and home-furnishing products as we aspire to be pioneers in design. We are also committed to join forces with like-minded companies, designers and consumers to make a difference in the lives of the people who are involved in creating these beautiful products – the weavers and craftsmen who we believe are the true artists who should be valued for their creativity and hard work.
COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT / ECO-FRIENDLY
We take our environmental responsibility extremely seriously. We work actively to maintain our 14001-certification. We comply with current legislation and waste disposal regulations and recycling measures. We always choose suppliers who aim to safeguard the environment and we mostly work with natural fibers like wool, which is renewable. Since much of our production is carried out by hand, the process has minimal impact on the environment. We also try to incorporate unused materials from the production process into innovative new designs.
COMMITMENT TO DESIGN
For us great design means innovation and passion. To that end we have an in-house team of designers from India, Europe, and the USA who work to stay ahead of the fashion, color, and interior design trends. They also have a great understanding of how to work with different fibers. They spin this knowledge into prototype development in our Bhadohi weaving facility where we create MAT rugs using mostly globally sourced natural fibers and some man-made fibers as well.
COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
MAT is ISO 9000 certified company. We assure the quality of our rugs at every step in the rug production chain, which begins, with the selection of the finest fibers sourced from trusted global partners. All MAT rugs are woven with the highest quality fibers including New Zealand wool, fine Indian wool, European wool, silk, hemp, cotton, linen, leather, and other man-made fibers. The dyeing process of these fibers is closely supervised, using approved dyes from eco-friendly and legislation-compliant suppliers. MAT Rugs are made by experienced weavers and craftsmen, using both traditional and innovative weaving methods. Through a combination of our management practices, and regular inspections, we ensure that all our rugs meet quality assurance standards for aesthetics, design integrity, durability, and performance.
COMMITMENT TO OUR CUSTOMERS
MAT is committed to providing the global market with original, high quality area rugs. Our sales and distribution offices are fully staffed with a talented team of sales, customer service and marketing specialists all eager to perform the tasks at hand in delivering our products in a timely, consistent and efficient manner.
COMMITMENT TO OUR WORKERS
We continue our efforts to promote the social and economic health of the people involved in the rug manufacturing process. The Ansari family work actively to improve the weavers’ standard of living and to reinforce women’s right to work, not only in the production processes, but at all levels in the company. As of 2018, we are certified in accordance with the SA8000 social accountability system. We are committed to provide our workers with the best possible working environment. “The weavers are the true artists in the rug production process and they deserve to be respected for their creativity and hard work,” says CEO Shakeel Ansari, who is actively involved in providing them with the right compensation for their work, and works toward improving their living standards.
All MAT Rugs carry the “Care and Fair’ label, ensuring all our rugs are independently certified as child-labor-free rugs. Through MAT’s involvement with Care and Fair and its certification program we also assist in the rehabilitation and education for former child weavers.
