The Kosa silk fabric originated in Chhattisgarh, especially in the districts of Champa and Korba. Of these, the textiles produced in Champa are believed to be of superior quality and are exported worldwide. It is important to note that Kosa silk is only obtained from the Indian silkworm called “Antheraea Mylitta”, which is truly rare. These worms cannot be found anywhere but only in the Arjun, Sal and Sajal trees. This is why the fabric is mainly made by the Dewangan tribe, living in the Gondwana forest region, where these trees can be found in abundance. A fascinating fact is that the Dewangan tribe is one of the oldest weaving communities in India and the entire world! According to the ancient folktales of this region, the first Kosa silk saree was made for Goddes Durga, who helped the Dewangan’s by killing the vicious “Maisasur”. 

Both tussar and Kosa silk belong to the category of wild silk because these silks are obtained from wild moths. The cocoon from which these yarns are extracted is called the Kosa-fal. The Kosa-fal is responsible for all tussar and Kosa products. Arjuna and Sajal trees are planted in wide stretched fields in the district of Jangirgir- Champa.

Every meter of this fabric is a result of long and tenuous labour. 

The first step of this is sorting the larvae, which are the primary source of silk. Only skilled men can do this job as handling the larvae and sorting the healthy from the unhealthy must be done with utmost care. 

These larvae are then transferred onto the Arjun and Sajal trees with fresh leaves. The next step here is crucial, i.e., plucking the cocoons. This plucking process is susceptible, but once it is done, they are separated into two groups- one group is sent for reproduction, and the other is sent for sericulture. 

The cocoons' natural cream and golden-brown colour represent the natural shade of Kosa silk. These cocoons are softened by submerging them in warm water, and once the filaments are loosened, they are combed and twisted onto a reel to produce uniform yarns. The yarns are then constructed into beautiful sarees or lugdas and yardages. 

All Kosa textiles are woven on handlooms operated by Dewangan weavers. There are predominantly three techniques of weaving, namely- Jaala, Phera and Khapa. The jaala weave, used to make the allover pattern, is the most popular among these.