Matu: At the heart of the company

"I make utilitarian accessories in vegetable tanned leather for everyday life", is what Marie-Anne Miljours likes to say when asked what her work as a fashion designer entails.

Founder of the Matu line of accessories, the young Montreal entrepreneur has been offering consumers for nearly three years a more environmentally conscious alternative designed right here in Quebec.

Overview of the Matu universe.

From garment to accessory

It all started with an egg-shaped camera case! Surprising, you say!

It was thanks to this design contract unearthed just after an internship at Rhié in New York that Marie-Anne focused on the design of the accessory and that things got underway in the creation of her company. .

“I found this idea of ​​creating an object and shaping it in its third dimension interesting”, reveals the one who was rather accustomed to designing flat clothes that transform into 3D only once worn”.

“The accessory is democratized, because it suits everyone. The briefcase which is the centerpiece of my collection will do just as well for me, as for you or for Murielle,” she explains.

Since this fascinating observation, the young woman has been offering accessories made of vegetable tanned leather, another distinction that has made Matu so successful.

But what is vegetable tanned leather?

Not to be confused with vegan leather which is a derivative of petroleum, vegetable tanned leather is of animal origin. We call "tanning" the operation which aims to transform animal skin into leather.

In the case of vegetable tanning, we are talking about a plant-based process that has no harmful impact on ecosystems or the health of workers.

The same could not be said for tanning done with chromium salt which is highly harmful to health and the environment and which is also used the most in the fashion and design industry...

Photo: Kotmo

Matu products

Designed in a "slow made" spirit that advocates research, thoughtful gestures, the use of sustainable materials, the manufacture of innovative objects and their durability, Matu products also stand out for their design and their usefulness!

Consult the online store to find high quality products made with care such as the magnificent lunch bag, the very useful wire tie (nothing better to avoid knots in headphone wires) or the briefcase, the favorite product of Marie-Anne who has nothing but good things to say about it.

“The briefcase, I like doing it! I loved building it, I find it practical,” she says, smiling.

Functional, ethical accessories with a minimalist look, that's what you need to remember from the Matu range of accessories, 100% designed in Montreal.

Find out more about Matu by checking out his Signé Local profile .

Reviewed by Eveline

Cover: MATU

Main photo credit: Phil Bernard