Startup Originals Team
When sisters Suta founders Sujata Biswas and Taniya Biswas decided to leave their stable corporate jobs, they were driven by a deeper urge, to make a difference in people’s lives and revive India’s handloom heritage. What began as a humble investment of ₹6 lakh has today grown into a bootstrapped enterprise generating around ₹75 crore in annual revenue and working with over 17,000 weavers across the country.
From Moving Homes to Seeing Threads of Opportunity:
Growing up in a family that often moved across India, Sujata and Taniya were exposed to a myriad of cultures, cuisines and communities. Their childhood memories were woven with threads of their grandmother’s mul-mul sarees drying in the garden, and the delicate touch of fabrics that felt like home. After building successful careers, Sujata in the steel/engineering sector and Taniya in consulting, they realised that something profound was missing in their lives. The call to create something meaningful led them to revisit those early memories of textile and craft.
The Birth of Suta and Its Mission:
In 2016, armed with savings of roughly ₹6 lakh, the sisters founded Suta, a name derived from the first two letters of their names (“Su” for Sujata, “Ta” for Taniya) and meaning “thread” in Sanskrit. Their mission was two-fold: to bring hand-loom sarees into everyday wardrobes and to provide dignified work to artisan communities often sidelined by fast fashion.
Early Challenges and Finding the Right Weavers:
Transitioning from a corporate mindset to the world of textiles wasn’t easy. The sisters had no formal fashion background, and convincing traditional weavers to adapt to their vision, particularly fabric variations like soft mulmul without heavy starching, required patience and persistence. After months of searching, they found partner weavers in West Bengal’s hand-loom clusters who believed in their purpose. This collaboration laid the foundation for their product line and ethical sourcing model.
Growth, Numbers and Impact:
What began with a modest collection quickly found resonance in the market. While earlier reports cited annual revenues of around ₹50 crore with 16,000 weavers engaged, more recent updates highlight revenues approaching ₹75 crore and an artisan ecosystem involving 17,000 weavers and over 200 direct employees. The brand’s emphasis on comfort-focused, modern designs, and transparency with the weavers has created strong customer loyalty and repeat business, underpinning this growth.
Blending Tradition with Modern Design and Ethics:
Suta’s products reflect a thoughtful balance of tradition and contemporary sensibility. Using hand-woven fabrics, lightweight weaves like mulmul and jamdani, and design touches that fit today’s lifestyles, the brand has carved a unique niche. Equally important is their commitment to the weaver community: fair wages, stable orders, and the intent to uplift entire families rather than transactional engagements.
Looking Ahead:
With solid foundations in place, Sujata and Taniya have articulated ambitions that extend beyond numbers. They envision expanding their reach globally, exploring biodegradable fabrics, and continuing to increase the weaver community engaged in their ecosystem. Their journey underscores a powerful message: that business can be purpose-driven, rooted in craft and community, and still scale meaningfully.
