What Is Eri Silk? The Cruelty Free, Ethical Silk Changing Sustainable Fashion

A few weeks ago, at a Goan market, a woman picked up one of our Eri shawls the way you pick up something you do not want to drop. She ran it between her fingers, then did a small, unconscious thing: she draped it over her shoulders and exhaled, like her body recognized the material before her brain started asking questions.

 

 

That is often how Eri silk enters people’s lives. Quietly. Not with shine or spectacle, but with comfort you can feel in your chest.

Most people expect silk to be glossy and slippery, something you wear carefully. Eri silk surprises them. It feels warm, breathable, softly textured, and somehow more grounded than polished. That feeling comes straight from how this silk is made, and from the places and people who have kept the craft alive for generations.

 

What Is Eri Silk?

Eri silk comes from the domesticated Eri silkworm, Samia ricini, a species closely tied to castor plants. Even the name points back to Assam, where “Eri” connects to the Assamese word for castor.

Here is the first twist. Many silks are made by reeling, which means pulling a long, unbroken filament from a cocoon like you would unwind a tiny, delicate spool. Eri does not work that way. Eri cocoons are naturally open-ended, so there is no single perfect strand to unwind. Instead, Eri is spun, meaning the fibers are teased apart and twisted together into yarn, the way cotton and wool become thread. That single shift, from reeled to spun, changes everything about how Eri feels on the body.

Here is the second twist, and the one people remember. Eri silk is made without killing the silkworm. In most conventional silk, the pupa inside the cocoon is killed so the cocoon stays intact for reeling. With Eri, the moth is allowed to emerge first. Only then are the empty cocoons collected and turned into yarn.

That is why you will often hear Eri called peace silk, and why some people also call it Ahimsa silk. Ahimsa is an Indian principle of non-violence, and in this case it is not a slogan. It is simply a description of the choice built into the process.

Eri silk does not rush the process. It lets the moth finish its life cycle first, then begins the work of making cloth.

 

The Eri Silkworm: the biology behind peace silk

Eri silk begins with a very specific creature. The Eri silkworm, Samia ricini, belongs to a family of moths known for making strong cocoons. It is also fully domesticated, which means humans have been raising it alongside crops and households for so long that it now depends on people to thrive, much like the mulberry silkworm used in most mainstream silk.

One reason Eri supports steady livelihoods is that it can breed multiple times in a year. You might see the term multivoltine used for this. It just means “many cycles.” In warm tropical climates, Eri can produce up to five or six generations annually, which helps families work with silk in a more continuous rhythm rather than relying on one short season.

From egg to moth, the full life cycle often takes around 45 to 55 days in good conditions. Eggs hatch in about seven to ten days. The larvae, the caterpillar stage, feed for roughly 20 to 30 days and grow through five stages called instars. An instar is simply a step between moults, like a child outgrowing clothes. Each stage ends with the caterpillar shedding its skin and growing larger.

The caterpillars are pale green as they mature, with fine bristle-like hairs and darker markings. These details are not just trivia. A silkworm’s health, diet, and climate shape the cocoon, and the cocoon shapes the yarn.

 

 

Eri silkworms are also unusually adaptable eaters. Castor leaves are the main food, but Eri larvae can feed on many other plants too, including cassava and several local species. In practical terms, this means farmers are not trapped by a single crop. Even cocoon color can shift with diet. Castor often yields lighter cocoons, while other host plants can produce beige or brick-red tones. It is the kind of flexibility that matters when weather and harvests do not always behave.

 

The open-ended cocoon: why Eri silk is spun, not reeled

When the Eri caterpillar is ready, it stops eating and begins to spin. Over two to three days, it builds a dense oval cocoon around itself.

Eri cocoons are open-ended, with a softer, thinner zone at one end. After about two weeks inside, the adult moth emerges through that end. This is the simple mechanical reason Eri silk is spun. Once the moth exits, the cocoon is no longer one sealed capsule, so you cannot unwind a single continuous filament.

What remains is fiber in staple form. Staple just means shorter fibers, the kind you can hold in your hand, tease apart, and twist into yarn. It is the same basic idea behind spinning cotton or wool.

This one structural detail gives Eri its signature personality. Spun yarn traps more air than smooth filament yarn. Trapped air means insulation, which is why Eri can feel warm without being heavy. Spun yarn also carries gentle variation, tiny irregularities that make the fabric feel human rather than manufactured. If mulberry silk is the polished note, Eri is the warmer register underneath.

 

Where Eri Silk Comes From

Eri silk has been cultivated for centuries in Northeast India, especially in Assam and Meghalaya. Assam and neighboring states account for roughly 95 to 98 percent of India’s Eri output, which tells you where the knowledge and practice still live most strongly.

In many communities, weaving is not an industry in the modern sense. It is home-based work and intergenerational work. It moves through families as naturally as recipes, songs, and stories.

India is also the center of the global Eri silk story, producing well over 90 percent of the world’s Eri silk, even as smaller projects and introductions have taken root elsewhere, Thailand being a notable example. With handmade textiles, origin is not a label you add at the end. Origin describes the whole system, who holds the skills, who earns the income, and how closely the work stays connected to land, community, and tradition.

 

 

From cocoon to cloth: how Eri silk is made

Eri becomes Eri through a chain of practical steps. None of them are flashy. All of them matter.

Rearing and harvesting (Ericulture)

Eri rearing, also called Ericulture, is often done indoors on trays or baskets. That makes it accessible to households without large landholdings. Castor can be grown as a hedge or intercrop, and in some places cassava can serve double duty as both food crop and silkworm feed. In real life, this means silk can sit inside a broader farming system rather than demanding its own separate industrial setup.

Harvesting follows a different rhythm than conventional silk. In Eri culture, moth emergence is expected. After the moth exits, the empty cocoons are collected and processed. Each cocoon contains a matte mass of fibers rather than one long filament, and that is why Eri yarn ends up lofted, breathable, and softly textured.

 

 

Degumming: removing the natural binder

Silk is built from two main proteins. You can think of proteins here as the building materials of the cocoon.

• Fibroin is the structural fiber, the part that becomes the thread you wear.

• Sericin is the natural binder, the gentle glue that holds the cocoon together.

Eri cocoons contain roughly 82 to 88 percent fibroin and about 11 to 13 percent sericin by weight. Mulberry cocoons typically contain more sericin, often around 25 to 30 percent. In plain terms, Eri has less “glue” to remove.

Degumming is the step where some of that binder is washed out so the fibers can separate cleanly for spinning and dyeing. It is often done with hot water and mild alkaline solutions, though practices vary between households and workshops. Alkaline simply means the opposite of acidic, the kind of gentle chemistry you also see in some traditional soap-making.

This is where a lot of Eri’s final feel gets decided. Leave too much binder in and the fiber can feel stiff. Strip too much out and the yarn can lose some of its natural body. Slow fashion lives in these small decisions.

 

Spinning: why Eri feels like silk and cotton had a quiet meeting

Because Eri fiber is staple length, it is spun like other staple fibers. The resulting yarn naturally holds air, and air is what makes warmth feel light rather than bulky.

 

 

Eri is often compared to a blend of silk and cotton, or silk and cashmere, and it can carry a wool-like warmth without the itch many people associate with wool. Depending on how it is prepared and spun, Eri can be woven into thicker blankets or into fine dress fabrics. The same fiber can lean rustic or refined, and that range is part of its charm.

Spun Eri yarn also carries subtle irregularities. Instead of looking “perfect,” it looks alive. If you have ever loved raw silk but wanted something softer on skin, Eri often lands in that sweet spot.

 

Weaving and finishing: the last stage still matters

Weaving in Assam and Meghalaya is often done on looms that are part of domestic life, not separate factory floors. The pace is slower, but the control is high. Weavers can adjust tension and density to shape warmth, drape, and durability.

In many communities, this work is women-led, and the skills move from mother to daughter. That continuity is one reason Eri has persisted quietly for generations.

Finishing can include washing, softening, and sometimes gentle pressing. Eri tends to soften with wear and careful washing, and it wrinkles less than cotton for many people. It is still silk, so it benefits from gentleness, but it is generally less fragile than many high-sheen mulberry fabrics that demand constant caution.

 

 

Dyeing: why Eri takes color so beautifully

Eri takes color well because the structure of its fibroin has chemical “hooks” that bond with dyes. Artisans have traditionally used natural dyes such as lac for reds, turmeric for yellow, and iron-rich clays for black. In the villages of Meghalaya, they still use all natural local ingredients, prepared by a master dyer by hand.

 

 

Whether you love undyed natural shades or richer color, Eri is remarkably versatile.

 

How Eri Silk is Different from Conventional Silk

Eri behaves differently from mulberry silk, both in process and feel. Some of this is about ethics. Some of it is physics. When a fiber is spun rather than reeled, it will drape differently, insulate differently, and reflect light differently. That is why Eri often feels more like a daily companion than a special-occasion fabric.

Texture

Eri silk has a matte finish rather than a high-gloss sheen. It can look softly textured and subtly irregular, because spun yarn naturally carries variation. Many people describe it as cottony but with a quiet silk smoothness when rubbed between fingers.

Strength and warmth

Eri silk is known for excellent thermal insulation and breathability. It is often described as warm in winter and cool in summer. Measurements cited for non-mulberry silks note moisture regain around 10 percent, which is a simple way of saying the fiber can absorb a little moisture without feeling wet or clammy. A medium-weight Eri shawl can offer warmth comparable to a heavier wool shawl, while still breathing well.

Look and feel

Less shine, more depth. Mulberry silk can feel cool and glassy smooth. Eri feels warm, pliant, and softly structured.

Eri is also often well tolerated by sensitive skin. It lacks the prickly fiber ends that can irritate some people with wool, and it is commonly produced without heavy chemical treatments.

A quick comparison (without the fluff)

Compared to mulberry silk: Eri is heavier, more insulating, less shiny, and more textured, with a more organic look. Mulberry is smoother and more uniform, but often more delicate.

Compared to wool: Eri is smoother and typically less itchy, with less stretch, and can feel cooler in heat while still insulating in cold.

Compared to cotton: Eri can feel drier against skin when absorbing moisture and wrinkles less for many people, while offEring better warmth for the weight.

Compared to polyester: Eri is more breathable and does not cling with static in the same way, while also being biodegradable as a natural protein fiber.

 

Why Eri Silk Is Considered Cruelty Free and Vegan Friendly

Eri silk is widely recognized as one of the more ethical forms of silk available today because the moth is allowed to emerge from the cocoon before harvesting. This is the key practical difference behind the peace-silk name.

• The silkworm is not boiled inside the cocoon

• The moth’s emergence is part of the process

• Cocoons are collected after the life cycle stage is complete

A note worth making with care: Eri silk is still a silk protein fiber, so some vegans will avoid it on principle. Others accept peace silk because harm is not part of production in the way it is in conventional reeling. The most honest approach is to share the process clearly, so each person can decide what aligns with their values.

 

The Ethical Benefits of Eri Silk

Eri silk stands apart not because of one feature, but because of the whole system around it. It is a sustainable fabric not just because it is biodegradable, but because of how it is grown, who it supports, and how it fits into existing rural life.

Women-led craftsmanship

In Northeast India, Ericulture and weaving are closely tied to household livelihoods and women-led skill networks. That matters because the value of a textile should include the value of the labor behind it. When production stays small-scale, it is easier for communities to retain control over pace, quality, and knowledge. No craft economy is perfect, but the structure can be far more human than mass-production supply chains.

Low-impact processing (relative to many textiles)

Eri rearing can integrate with farming through castor hedges or cassava cultivation, and much of the traditional processing is low-energy compared to industrial fiber production. Lower sericin content can reduce intensity of degumming. Many producers also lean on natural dyes and minimal chemical finishing, which is why Eri is often included in conversations about eco-friendly textiles and environmentally conscious clothing.

Biodegradable and natural

Eri silk is a natural protein fiber. It does not shed microplastics the way many synthetic fabrics do. It also has practical comfort benefits: breathability, moisture handling, and thermal regulation that makes it wearable across seasons. That moisture regain figure around 10 percent for non-mulberry silks supports the lived expErience many people describe: comfortable, not clammy.

Small-batch production that resists “more, faster, cheaper”

Eri’s structure nudges it toward slow fashion. Spinning takes time. Weaving takes time. Skill takes time. The fabric does not reward rushing.

Eri has also grown significantly over the last two decades, with one set of figures noting growth from about 1,500 metric tons in 2007 to about 11,500 metric tons in 2018 to 19. Even with this growth, Eri remains rooted in craft economies rather than fast-fashion factories.

If you are interested in how other handcrafted textiles come to life, you can also read our guides to Indian block printing and natural indigo dyeing, crafts that shares this same respect for time and process.

 

Eri silk in history and in the present economy

Eri silk has a history that is both humble and resilient. It never had the global fame of Silk Road luxury textiles, yet it quietly clothed generations in the eastern Himalayas. It persisted as a cottage craft rather than a boom-and-bust commodity. That persistence matters today, because sustainability is not only a modern trend. It is often the continuation of practices that never needed to be discovered in the first place.

One moment that captures this blend of tradition and future is Umden Diwon village in Meghalaya being declared the world’s first Eri peace-silk village in 2020. This is where we, at all mellow co., visited in 2024. The women in this village craft all of our shawls by hand.

Recognition like this can be imperfect, but it signals something real: communities that have protected knowledge for generations are increasingly being named as models.

Economically, Eri has become a major part of India’s silk output. India produced about 7,364 metric tons of Eri silk in 2021 to 22, making up about 21 percent of the country’s raw silk that year. That places Eri second only to mulberry in India. Eri also constituted roughly 20 percent of India’s silk output by volume by 2018 to 19. This is not a niche fiber in its home region. It is a meaningful livelihood sector.

 

Why We Chose Eri Silk at all mellow co.

At all mellow co., we did not choose Eri silk because it is trending. We chose it because it aligns with our values and because it fits the kind of wardrobe we want in our own lives: pieces that feel good, wear well, and come with a real story. Our first product line is made with an all-women collective in Meghalaya, and we work in small batches because we would rather get it right than get it fast.

Eri silk reflects our belief in slow fashion, ethical craftsmanship, and meaningful partnerships. It is warm without being heavy, soft without being fragile, and textured in a way that feels grounded. Each shawl carries the imprint of patient processes, from moth emergence to spun yarn to loom work.

Explore our full Eri Silk Collection.

You can also discover the clothing created by our partners at LAL Design Studio and Hibiscus Heroes, who share this same commitment to natural materials and handmade processes.

 

Our Eri Silk Shawls: Designed with Calm in Mind

When we began working with Eri silk, we were not trying to design statement pieces. We were thinking about how fabric feels when it becomes part of daily life. What it feels like to wrap something around your shoulders in the early morning. What it feels like to carry warmth without weight. What it feels like when color supports calm instead of competing for attention.

Each shawl in our Eri Silk Collection is inspired by natural landscapes and quiet moments. They are designed to move easily between being worn as an Eri silk shawl or styled more lightly as an Eri silk scarf, depending on season and mood. The palette across the collection is restrained by intention, drawing from sky, stone, earth, and weather rather than trends.

 

Thistle

Thistle was designed around softness and quiet expression. Its mauve and blush tones move gently through the weave, inspired by fading light and early morning calm. It is a piece meant for moments that call for warmth without heaviness, equally at home as a shawl or a loosely draped Eri silk scarf.

 

Mesa

Mesa draws from sunbaked stone and hazy desert heat. Warm peach and clay tones shift slowly across the fabric, creating a sense of grounded openness. It was designed for women who are drawn to warmth and light, and who want an Eri silk scarf or shawl that feels expressive without being loud.

 

Tundra

Tundra reflects vast open landscapes where color meets shadow. Olive greens, muted gold, and cool greys come together in a palette that feels steady and enduring. This shawl was designed for cooler tones and slower days, offering a grounded layer that works beautifully across seasons.

 

Skye

Skye is inspired by open air and quiet movement, like light passing through shifting clouds. Cool blue-grey tones give it a sense of space and ease. Designed to feel expansive rather than heavy, Skye works especially well when styled as a lighter Eri silk scarf for everyday wear.

 

Sienna

Sienna moves through rust, rose, and red earth tones, inspired by land shaped slowly over time. Its palette feels warm and quietly expressive, designed for layered, mindful dressing. This piece was created to bring a sense of grounded warmth whether worn close as a scarf or open as a shawl.

 

Ferro

Ferro blends charcoal grey with a subtle golden thread, drawing inspiration from stone paths, metal, and softened strength. It is a composed and balanced piece, designed for those who prefer deeper tones and a sense of quiet structure in their Eri silk shawl or scarf.

 

Pebble

Pebble is minimal and meditative, inspired by muted shorelines and river stones. Its soft neutral palette is designed to disappear gently into everyday wear, offering calm rather than contrast. It is often chosen as an Eri silk scarf for daily layering, but has the size and warmth of a full shawl.

Each piece in the collection is handwoven in Meghalaya using cruelty-free peace silk, crafted slowly and in small batches by a women-led collective. While the colors and moods differ, the intention remains the same. These are textiles designed to support calm, comfort, and repeated wear rather than occasion-based dressing.

 

Eri Silk in Conversation

Mellow Matters Podcast

To understand Eri silk beyond the fabric, we sat down with Iba Mallai, founder of the women-led collective behind our shawls. In this episode of the Mellow Matters podcast, Iba shares how she returned home to Meghalaya, revived traditional weaving practices, and built a community centered around Eri silk.

 

Listening to her story changes the way you see the textile. It stops being a material choice and becomes what it has always been: a living culture, held in skill, relationships, and daily work.

Listen to the Mellow Matters episode with Iba Mallai now.

 

Caring for Eri silk in real life

Eri silk is still silk, so it rewards gentleness, but it is often easier to live with than many glossy mulberry fabrics. It can often be hand-washed without severe shrinkage or loss of strength, and it tends to soften with each wash.

Stick to cool or lukewarm water, a mild detergent, and avoid harsh alkaline cleaners. Dry in shade rather than direct sun, since prolonged UV exposure can weaken silk over time. If you iron, use a low heat setting and a cloth barrier.

A small, practical tip: treat your shawl like a favorite knit rather than a delicate blouse. Fold it, air it, wear it. Eri is made for repeat use, not for being hidden away for best.

 

Why Eri Silk Matters Today

In a world moving faster every year, Eri silk asks us to slow down, not as a slogan, but as a literal requirement of the process. It protects traditional knowledge. It supports women artisans. It offers an alternative to extractive fashion systems. And it does all of that while being genuinely comfortable to wear, which is a sustainability strategy in itself.

When you love something, you keep it. When you keep it, you buy less.

If you want to understand the mindset behind what we curate, you can read our philosophy. 

If you are ready to feel the difference for yourself, explore our Eri Silk Collection, or listen to the Mellow Matters episode to meet the people behind the weave.