Silk Fabric India: Where It’s Made, Who Makes It, and Why It Matters

When you think of silk fabric India, natural silk textiles produced in India, known for their luster, strength, and deep cultural roots. Also known as Indian silk, it’s not just a material—it’s a legacy woven into the lives of millions of weavers, farmers, and artisans across the country. Unlike synthetic fibers, real silk comes from silkworms, and India is one of the few places on earth where you can still find entire villages dedicated to raising them, spinning the thread, and hand-weaving the cloth—often without a single machine in sight.

There are four main types of silk made in India: mulberry silk, the most common and finest type, produced by Bombyx mori silkworms fed on mulberry leaves, accounting for over 70% of India’s silk output, found mostly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Then there’s tasar silk, a wild silk with a natural gold tone, made by Antheraea mylitta worms that feed on arjun and sal trees, primarily in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Odisha. You’ll also find eri silk, a soft, warm silk often called "peace silk" because the silkworm isn’t killed during harvesting, popular in Assam, and muga silk, a golden-yellow silk unique to Assam, known for its durability and natural sheen. Each type has its own story, its own region, and its own set of challenges—from climate change affecting mulberry crops to younger generations moving away from handloom weaving.

India doesn’t just make silk—it exports it. Nearly 80% of the world’s handwoven silk comes from Indian looms, and countries like the US, Germany, and Japan rely on Indian silk for luxury fashion, home décor, and even medical sutures. But behind every meter of fabric is a human story: a woman in Kanchipuram spending 12 hours on a single sari, a family in Bengal weaving eri silk in their backyard, or a small mill in Karnataka turning raw cocoons into thread using decades-old techniques. These aren’t just factories—they’re living traditions.

What you’ll find in the posts below aren’t just articles about silk. They’re about the people who make it, the places where it’s born, and how small-scale manufacturing still thrives in a world of mass production. You’ll see how silk connects to broader trends in Indian textiles, how local weavers compete with synthetic imports, and why some of the most valuable fabrics in the world are still made by hand in villages you’ve never heard of.