Assam Eri Silk Ahimsa Weaving Goalpara Assam

Eri silk (from Samia ricini silkworm rearing on castor or kesseru leaves) is a distinctive Indian silk with the unique property of being open-ended — the silkworm exits the cocoon before the cocoon is processed, making it the only cruelty-free or ahimsa silk that requires no boiling of live pupae. Eri silk is produced by tribal communities including the Bodo, Mising, and Koch communities of Assam, particularly in Goalpara, Bongaigaon, and Kamrup districts, and also by Ao Naga and Garo communities. The silk has a warm, slightly rough texture resembling linen or cotton and is traditionally used for the Bodo dokhna mekhela (skirt), Mising gale dress, and blankets. Eri silk is spun from broken cocoon strands using drop spindles or charkhas rather than reeled from intact filament, producing a spun silk rather than filament silk. Eri silk's cruelty-free status has created premium export demand from ethical fashion brands in Europe and Japan. The Eri silk handloom cooperative movement in Goalpara and the Bodo-dominated areas of BTAD manages silk supply, cooperative spinning and weaving, and export facilitation.