ORIGINAL MADRAS TRADING COMPANY

The Original Madras Trading Company (OMTC) is a third-generation family business established in 1973 that specialises in authentic, hand-loomed Madras fabric. The company was founded by Ranjit Shah, who emigrated from Madras (now Chennai), India, to New York City in the mid 70’s. He arrived with a suitcase/trunk full of fabric swatches.

Shortly after its founding, OMTC became a key supplier of Madras fabric and finished garments to iconic American menswear brands, including Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren and Gant with their creative and manufacturing Hub in New York linking directly tho their bespoke factory and mill in Chennai.  OMTC remains committed to traditional techniques. All their clothing is made using single-weaver cloth, meaning a single weaver manually operates a handloom from start to finish to create the fabric. A signature of the brand is the yellow selvage label on their clothing. This color is a nod to turmeric (considered lucky in India) and the yellow taxis common in both Chennai and New York.

In 2018 OMTC began switching from a wholesale and fabric house to a Direct to Customer brand in its own right. Soon Smaller, higher quality runs were possible.