: Love for Sarees Inspires Sisters to Build Rs 50 Crore Brand; Empower 16,000 Weavers #IndiaNEWS #Entrepreneurs Sujata and Taniya Biswas gave up their cushy corporate careers on 1 April 2016 and dedicated

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Love for Sarees Inspires Sisters to Build Rs 50 Crore Brand; Empower 16,000 Weavers #IndiaNEWS #Entrepreneurs
Sujata and Taniya Biswas gave up their cushy corporate careers on 1 April 2016 and dedicated themselves entirely to building a brand called Suta (meaning ‘thread’). Set on positively impacting weaver and artisan communities, they ensure that their traditional crafts thrive. Known primarily for their exquisite range of cotton sarees, in varieties of jamdani weave, mulmul, malkesh, banarasi, amongst others, Suta is a venture with a cause.
“Our brand is largely known for its range of cotton sarees from different traditions, but we also work with the purest mulberry silk as well, handloom ikats and linen, amongst others. On silk and cotton, we employ techniques like hand batik, block-printing, embroidery, etc. Despite having no background in fashion or textiles, both of us felt a strong urge to start a brand that would positively impact the weaver and artisan community and revive the dying art forms of India. We have 16,000 weavers and artisans who work with us on a contractual basis and also provide employment to their family members,� says Sujata, speaking to The Better India.
What began as a passion project to “explore our creative curiosities and personal inspirations� has in nearly six years turned into a business that has generated about Rs 50 crore in revenue and created a “happy place� for over 150 full-time employees.
“Suta is an amalgamation of our collective desire to make a positive impact on-ground to ensure the legacies of our precious crafts and weaves find a place in the modern context,� says Taniya.
The brand has recently launched a line of mens kurta and is soon getting into women’s kurtas. In addition, the venture is already into loungewear, home decor, handbags, jewellery, etc.
“We are getting into a lot of verticals, but we are known as a one-stop-shop for sarees. If you want to wear a saree today, you can just pick it up from one of our stores and wear it,� she adds.
Co-founders of Mumbai-based Suta: Taniya and Sujata Biswas (Image courtesy Suta)
Building Suta
The sisters grew up in a family that moved around different parts of the country given their father’s transferable job in the Indian Railways. Never living in one particular city for an extended period, they mostly grew up living in the eastern part of India, witnessing a lot of different cultures, cuisines, communities and sartorial choices. Their childhood was filled with memories of seeing the collection of sarees owned by their mother and grandmother.
“After earning my engineering degree and MBA, I worked in the branding and steel industry, following which I applied for a PhD at IIT-Bombay to study e-commerce businesses.

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