Eri Silk comes from the caterpillar of Samia ricini, found in northeast India. The name “eri” is derived from the Assamese word “era”, which means “castor”, as the silkworm feeds on castor plants.
Eri silk is a staple fiber, unlike other silks, which are continuous filament. The texture of the fabric is coarse, fine, and dense. It is very strong, durable, and elastic. Eri silk is darker and heavier than other silks and blends well with wools and cotton. Due to its thermal properties it is warm in winter and cool in summer.
Eri silk fabric is a boon for those who practice absolute non-violence, not using any product obtained by killing any animal. It is widely used by everyone in the regions in which it is produced. It is becoming popular the world over. Buddhist monks in India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, and Japan prefer this silk, due to its non-violent origins.
In India, eri was mostly used for the preparation of winter shawls for men and women. The thermal properties of eri silk makes it a suitable fabric for shawls, jackets, blankets, and bed spreads. Dress materials and baby dresses are also made from eri silk fabric because of its soft texture and moisture absorbent quality. Nowadays very fine (up to 210 Nm eri spun yarns are available, which enables weavers to weave very fine clothing, including traditional sari dress materials.
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