Eri Silk

Also known as Endi or Errandi, Eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk. This silk is produced by the eri silkworm, Philosamia ricini, which feeds mainly on Castor and Kesseru. In many parts of the NorthEast India, eri cocoons are produced for their edible pupae and silk is the by-product. Known for its warmth, eri is a white colored, non-mulberry silk fabric, which is also known as Ahimsa silk or the fabric of peace.

Processing of Eri silk
Spun and woven from wild Eri silk cocoons, eri is a type of wild silk found only in India. The eri silkworm, Philosamia ricini feeds on castor leaves. The wild silkworms are domesticated and reared indoors. The cocoons are small and the silk is very light in colour, almost as white as bombyx or cultivated silk. The cocoons are gathered after the moth emerges, which makes Eri silk "Peace" silk. In this variety of silk processing, silk is drawn without killing the worm inside the cocoon.

Eri is known as the most eco-friendly silk. It requires less land and produces a white, creamy white or reddish silk.

Eri Silk Products
Eri silk is an ideal fabric for clothing because of its natural origin and moisture absorption properties. The body keeps the body cool in summer and warm in winter. The thermal properties of eri silk makes them very popular for exquisitely designed shawls and chaddars. Eri silk can be blended with many other fabrics like cotton, wool, jute, or even mulberry silk to produce a exotic fabrics for making suiting material, jackets, and a wide range of interior home furnishings.

The elegant eri silk products are very popular in the international markets and are exported to various countries from India.

The eri silkworm is commercially raised in Assam and Orissa in India. Assam produces as much as 90% of eri silk in the country by rearing eri silkworms on castor leaves. Other major silk producing states in India include:

• Meghalaya
• Nagaland
• Bihar
• Jharkand