Original Madras Trading Company

Original Madras Trading Company (OMTC) is a New York menswear label and madras cloth specialist founded by Ranjit Shah, who emigrated from Madras in 1973. It supplies madras cloth to retailers and sells own label shirts and sleepwear in hand woven Indian cotton.

What is Original Madras Trading Company?

Original Madras Trading Company, known as OMTC, is a family business based on West 38th Street in New York's Garment District. It was established by Ranjit Shah, who left Madras (now Chennai) for New York City in 1973 and set up the company within a few years. It is now run by Prasan Shah, the third generation of the family.

Products and positioning

OMTC works on two levels. It supplies machine loomed madras cloth to major retailers, and it makes its own label clothing from hand woven madras, woven on a handloom by a single weaver from Indian cotton, with shirt making handled in house. The own label range includes:

• Button-down shirts such as the classic N°5
• Short sleeved and winter weight madras shirts
• Pyjamas and dressing gowns

Fabrics range from a light standard weave to a denser compact weave and a heavier brushed plain weave for winter.

Collaborations

The brand has worked with The Armoury and with Nigel Cabourn Japan, producing shirts, jackets, shorts, hats and dungarees in its cloth.

Why it matters

OMTC links a textile trading business with a direct menswear label, giving it rare credibility in madras at a time when the fabric has returned to classic menswear.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Original Madras Trading Company?

OMTC was founded by Ranjit Shah, who emigrated from Madras to New York in 1973. His grandson Prasan Shah now runs the business.

What does Original Madras Trading Company sell?

It supplies madras cloth to retailers and sells own label hand woven madras shirts, pyjamas and dressing gowns.

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