Known as the "Ahimsa silk", Eri silk is one of India’s most ethically produced natural fibers, predominantly handspun and handwoven in Assam and Meghalaya. Unlike other silk varieties, Eri is extracted without killing the silkworm, making it cruelty-free and sustainable. The silk is drawn from the cocoon of the Samia ricini moth, which feeds on castor leaves and spins an open-ended cocoon—allowing the moth to emerge naturally.

Once degummed and handspun, Eri yarns are woven on traditional backstrap or throw shuttle looms, often by women artisans. The resulting fabric is soft, warm, highly durable, and often compared to wool for its drape and comfort. It takes dye beautifully—both natural and synthetic—though tribal and rural communities prefer plant-based dyes using lac, turmeric, and indigo.

The final textiles include shawls, stoles, sarees, jackets, and home furnishings—each piece embodying slow craft values, ecological sensitivity, and tactile richness.

Eri silk weaving has been practiced for centuries by the Bodo, Mishing, and Khasi communities, especially in Assam’s Goalpara, Kamrup, and Dhemaji districts, and parts of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. The word ‘Eri’ derives from ‘era’, the Assamese term for castor—referring to the silkworm’s primary diet.

Historically, Eri silk was worn by Buddhist monks in India and Tibet due to its non-violent production method. The craft is part of Assam’s indigenous textile knowledge, often passed matrilineally, where women not only weave but also spin and dye the yarns themselves.

With the support of cooperatives, NGOs, and institutions like Central Silk Board, Eri silk has evolved from a tribal household practice to a global symbol of ethical fashion. It has also received recognition under India’s Geographical Indications (GI) Act.

In the Eri villages of Assam’s Ribhoi and Sualkuchi, mornings begin with women winding yarns on bamboo spindles, soaking dye vats in their courtyards, and weaving on looms passed down through generations. In Umden (Meghalaya), known as the "Eri Silk Village", women-led collectives like Ryndia Women Weavers Cooperative have revived natural dyeing and traditional patterns such as jainsem and tapmoh khlieh.

Eri silk gained global attention when it was showcased at Paris Ethical Fashion Week and in UNESCO heritage craft forums as a model for sustainable, inclusive livelihoods. In 2021, designers collaborated with Eri artisans to create COVID-era masks and stoles with medicinally dyed yarns—a blend of beauty and bio-consciousness.

Today, the hum of Eri looms continues across northeastern India, echoing a heritage that values life, labor, and the land.

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