Tussar (a.k.a Kosa silk), is valued for its purity and texture. It is drawn from cocoons especially grown on arjun, saja or sal trees. Available in natural shades of gold-pale, dark, honey, tawny, beige and cream, Tussar is considered an ideal as well as auspicious wear for marriages, religious ceremonies and other important social functions. (The original rich gold shade Tussar is sometimes dyed, producing colours of a very special hue and depth.)
Tasar fabrics come from Birbhum, Bankura, Murshidabad, Hoogly and Nadia districts.
Earlier only natural dyes were used which included yellow from the palash (flame of the forest) and kusum flowers, red pollen dust of the rora flower and the deep rose red from lac. But with time the range of colour and motifs have increased dramatically. The commonly available shades are Dhaniya (light green), Mas (deep blue), Kariya (black), Anchi (deep purple), Jamalla (purple), Darra (deep rose red), Katha (maroon), Narangi (orange), Rani (deep Indian pink), Phiroza (turquoise) among others.