The Burlap People

About The Burlap People

The Burlap People is a Kolkata-based conscious lifestyle brand that makes handcrafted bags, accessories, and home goods from natural and upcycled materials. Founded by Samriddh Burman, Karuna Ezara Parikh, and Rewant, the brand operates from a small farm outside Calcutta — a space defined by a natural pond ecosystem and a philosophy of slow, intentional living. The Burlap People describes their mission plainly: “This isn’t a brand, it’s conscious living.” That ethos shapes every product they make and every artisan partnership they maintain.

Natural Materials and Traditional Craft

At the heart of The Burlap People’s sustainability story is their choice of materials: natural fibres like jute and cotton, blended with recovered leather from post-consumer and industrial sources. These materials are inherently low-impact — jute is one of the world’s most biodegradable and renewable fibres, requiring minimal pesticides or water to grow. Cotton adds softness and structure, while recovered leather diverts post-use material from landfill and gives it a second life.

The brand collaborates with one of India’s oldest screen-printing units to preserve traditional printing techniques alongside contemporary design. This partnership supports a living craft tradition in Bengal while ensuring that each product carries a distinctly handmade, culturally rooted quality. Artisans from self-help groups in Bengal are core to the production process, embedding social impact into the supply chain.

Product Range

The Burlap People offers a wide range of handcrafted products across several categories:

• Handbags and Totes: Including the signature Boyfriend Bag and the Magic Box
• Duffel and Weekender Bags: The Duffel 2.0 is a bestseller for travellers
• Backpacks: Lightweight, durable everyday carry options
• Slings and Crossbody Bags: The Lil Sister and other compact styles
• Vegan Collection: A dedicated range using no animal-derived materials whatsoever
• Tech and Laptop Bags: Functional carry solutions for professionals
• Wallets: Slim, handcrafted designs in natural fabrics
• Kids and Pets Collections: Extending conscious design to the whole household
• Kitchen and Home Accessories: Expanding the brand’s reach beyond fashion

Circular Design and Repair Culture

The Burlap People is one of the few Indian bag brands with a formal Preloved and Repair programme. Instead of encouraging consumers to discard and replace, the brand actively promotes product longevity. Customers can send back worn or damaged pieces for repair, extending the useful life of each item and reducing the volume of fashion waste generated. A preloved section allows second-hand Burlap People pieces to find new owners, embodying the circular economy principles that genuine sustainability requires.

Why The Burlap People Belongs in the Prakati Green Directory

The Burlap People is a strong example of the kind of sustainable fashion business that Prakati champions — small-batch, handcrafted, community-rooted, and built on materials with minimal environmental footprint. Their use of jute, cotton, and recovered leather directly displaces demand for synthetic PVC and virgin animal leather, both of which carry high carbon and ethical costs. Based in West Bengal, The Burlap People supports local artisans and traditional craft while building a brand that resonates with consumers looking for products that feel good in every sense of the word.

Connect with The Burlap People

The Burlap People is operated by TreeHuggers Lifestyle Pvt Ltd, headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. The team welcomes inquiries about products, bespoke orders, and artisan partnerships.

One of India’s First Instagram-Based Sustainable Businesses

The Burlap People holds a distinct place in India’s sustainable fashion history as one of the country’s first Instagram-native sustainable businesses. The brand built its audience and community through social media before the term “conscious commerce” became mainstream, demonstrating early that Indian consumers were ready for thoughtful, ethical alternatives to mass-produced accessories. That community-first approach continues today, with the brand’s social channels serving as a platform for conversations about slow fashion, sustainable living, and the value of handmade goods.

What makes The Burlap People particularly compelling is the integration of its workspace with a natural ecosystem — a working farm with a pond that reinforces the brand’s relationship with nature. This is not a manufacturing facility designed purely for efficiency; it is a space where the philosophy of conscious living is practised as much as it is sold. Visitors to the farm experience first-hand the connection between the materials, the artisans, and the products, giving the brand a depth and authenticity that is rare in any fashion segment, sustainable or otherwise. For shoppers seeking bags that carry meaning as well as their belongings, The Burlap People offers exactly that.