BY NEHA NEGANDHI*

Mitun (Srabanti) Chaudhuri’s journey into sustainable fashion started well before she launched Maka Maka, her online sustainable home and fashion boutique. Growing up in a mid-upper-class family in Kolkata, India, she was shaped by a love for travel instilled by her parents. “Wanderlust was in my blood,” she reflects, remembering how her parents, avid travelers, passed this same spirit to her and her younger sister. This adventurousness would not only take her across the globe but also set her on a path to build a business aligned with her values—creating eco-friendly, sustainable home & fashion that empowers local artisans and embraces conscious consumerism.

Growing up in Kolkata, she was part of a family that valued independence, education, and a global outlook. Her parents, especially her father, had dreams for her that were grounded in the idea of education abroad—a dream he couldn’t pursue due to the partition of India and having lost his own father at a young age, which forced him to become the main breadwinner for his family.

But he passed that dream on to Mitun, encouraging her to think big and aspire to opportunities outside of India. Growing up, Mitun was captivated by American TV shows like “Charlie’s Angels” and “Knight Rider,” imagining a world where women lived boldly and freely. “I dreamed of a life where you could be anything you wanted to be,” she shared over tea and scones in a cozy metro Atlanta tea shop.

Mitun’s creative journey is also deeply inspired by her mother, who fostered a home environment rich in creativity and talent. After the passing of her husband, she ran an art school for 20 years, nurturing the artistic abilities of countless students. Mitun feels she has inherited her mother’s creative genes, which continue to influence her work today.

Mitun was raised to believe that she controlled her future. Her father’s dream for her to attend a university abroad took root, and it was a serendipitous encounter with a dean from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, that eventually led to her earning a scholarship to study in the U.S. “Without that merit scholarship from Georgia Rotary Student Scholarship,” Mitun said, “I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill my parents’ dreams for me—to attend a U.S. university and live the American dream.”

After graduating from the University of Georgia and later earning an MBA from Georgia State University, Mitun’s professional journey took her into corporate consulting/project management. She and her then-husband moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where she worked in corporate roles that felt stifling. “Corporate jobs were never meant for me,” she explained. “I have a creative mind and an entrepreneurial spirit that needs wings to spread.”

When Mitun moved to Vancouver in 2004, she felt like it was the fresh start she needed. “I felt like I was wilting,” she shares, looking back on how her corporate jobs never fit her creative, entrepreneurial nature. The move let her step back and figure out what she truly wanted to do.

On a trip to India, she discovered Ahimsa silk, also called peace/vegan silk. This fabric is made without hurting silkworms and is better for the environment because it promotes biodiversity and uses less water. “I knew I had found something special,” she remembers. She brought back handmade home textiles, which sold out quickly, with people asking for more.

Back in Vancouver, she started hosting pop-up shops in local upscale furniture shops. She showcased luxurious, ethically made housewares from local artisans. This marked the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey. Merging her love for sustainability and fashion, she filled a market gap for high-quality, ethically made products.

In 2000, Mitun’s first significant step into the home fashion industry was by launching Rajboori, an eco-friendly brand that quickly gained local recognition. With growing confidence, she decided to showcase her collection at the prestigious New York International Gift Fair. The response was overwhelming, and in 2009, her line earned the Best New Green Product award, marking a major milestone in her career.

Fueled by her success, Mitun and her then-husband moved to Kolkata, where she opened Maka Maka, a brick-and-mortar store/cafe. This was one of the first “Concept Stores” in Kolkata – a destination space. It was a space that reflected her mission to support local artisans and promote sustainable craftsmanship. The store became a hub for conscious consumers, offering beautifully crafted items in an environment that showcased the stories of the Makers, embodying her vision of quiet luxury.

However, as her business flourished, her personal life began to unravel. In 2012, Mitun and her husband decided to part ways. “It was heart-wrenching,” she admits, “but we both admitted it was the right thing to do.” Rather than letting the setback define her, Mitun transformed her panic into purpose. She had an epiphany: the difficult choices she faced were guiding her toward the right path.

She scaled her business for nearly five years. Working tirelessly to build an artisan mecca. Falling in love again was the last thing on her mind but when someone mentioned a gentleman from Bombay, now living in Boston, it stirred a desire for companionship. By 2016, Mitun was married again, entering a new chapter in both life and business.

This shift brought her back to the U.S., and Mitun continued her journey with Maka Maka as a supplier of curated and artisanal home & fashion products to Museum Shops.  In 2022, she relaunched her brand as Maka Maka Lifestyle, a DTC online eco-home & fashion boutique. “Closing my physical store in Kolkata was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” she shared. But love and family took priority, and I knew this was the right move for me.” Her journey had taught her that sometimes, hard choices pave the way for new opportunities.

Mitun’s commitment to sustainable fashion goes beyond business—it’s about living with intention. In a world where fast fashion contributes to 92 million tons of textile waste annually, she’s proving that fashion can be both elegant and responsible. “People don’t just want to buy things anymore; they want to know their choices make a difference,” she explains. Through Maka Maka, her online eco-fashion boutique where every piece is made by Atlanta-based seamstresses, Mitun has crafted a space that celebrates luxurious, ethically produced clothing while uplifting global artisans, local talent and promoting sustainability.

Alongside running Maka Maka, Mitun also imparts her entrepreneurial wisdom as a Part-Time Instructor at Georgia State University’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute, helping the next generation of business leaders navigate the intersection of values and enterprise.

As we wrapped up our conversation, it was clear that Mitun’s journey had come full circle—from dreaming in Kolkata about a bold, luxurious life to building a brand now back in Georgia, that empowers women to feel beautiful while making thoughtful choices. Her story is one of resilience, vision, and a commitment to something larger than herself.

Check out Maka Maka boutique for more sustainable handmade artisan crafts.

Neha Negandhi is a Mental Health Strategist, Certified Life Coach, TEDx speaker and Talk Show host. Visit her website for upcoming mental wellbeing events and more NehaNegandhi.com