Sunita Devi learned to weave at age twelve on the wooden pit-loom that still stands in her courtyard in Nathnagar, Bhagalpur. Her family has woven Tussar silk — locally called "Bhagalpuri silk" or "Kosa silk" — for four generations, producing the distinctive texture and sheen that has made Bhagalpur the "Silk City of India".
When Sunita founded Handloom Plus in 2012, her goal was to move beyond wholesale middlemen and bring the full value of the weave directly to buyers. She brought together a group of eighteen women weavers from her neighbourhood and established a shared workspace where quality, fair wages, and training are guaranteed.
Today Handloom Plus is known for its dedication to natural dyes and authentic hand-woven patterns. The collective trains young women in the art and employs thirty-four weavers full-time, with seasonal work for an additional twenty during festive orders.
CRAFT & HERITAGE
Bhagalpuri Silk
Bhagalpuri Tussar silk is produced from the cocoons of the Antheraea mylitta silkworm, which feeds on Arjun and Asan trees in the forests of Bihar and Jharkhand. Unlike cultivated mulberry silk, Tussar is wild-sourced, giving the fabric its characteristic earthy warmth, natural sheen, and slight texture.
Bhagalpur district has produced this silk for over 2,000 years — it is mentioned in the Arthashastra of Kautilya — and holds a GI tag that protects its origin. The weaving technique, done entirely on pit-looms by hand, produces fabric that breathes in summer and insulates in winter, making it one of India's most prized textiles.
THEIR JOURNEY
A Path of Craft
1998
Began weaving on the family loom at age 12
2008
Won State Crafts Award, Government of Bihar
2012
Founded Handloom Plus with 18 fellow weavers
2020
Expanded to natural-dye collection
2024
Supplying to buyers in 22 states via India Handmade
INSIDE THE WORKSHOP
Where Every Piece Is Born
CRAFT DISTINCTION
What Makes Their Work Special
Authentic Bhagalpuri Silk
Wild Tussar silk woven on traditional pit-looms, with GI-tagged and traceable to source.
Natural-dye collection
Indigo, pomegranate rind, harda, and iron mordants — zero synthetic dyes on selected lines.
Hand-woven by artisans
Every metre is produced by a named weaver who earns a fair, verified wage.
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