Silk, Handloom and Crafts

How Assam's unique silks, the region's weaving traditions and GI tags support livelihoods, and the challenges of reaching wider markets.

The Northeast has rich traditions of weaving and crafts, which support many households, especially women.

Assam’s silks

Assam produces unique silks:

Muga silk: a golden silk produced only in Assam, with a GI tag since 2007.
Eri silk: sometimes called “peace silk” because it can be made without killing the silkworm.
Pat silk: a white or off-white silk.

India is a major producer of these non-mulberry silks.

Handloom traditions

Almost every household in parts of Assam and other states traditionally had a loom.
Each community has distinctive patterns and textiles, such as the mekhela chador in Assam and traditional shawls in Nagaland.
Manipur’s and Tripura’s textiles are also well known.

Crafts

Bamboo and cane products.
Pottery and wood carving.
Handmade jewellery.

Economic challenges

Low incomes for weavers.
Competition from machine-made imitations, including powerloom copies of traditional designs.
Market access and branding.
Middlemen taking much of the value.

Support

GI tags protect authentic products.
E-commerce and government emporiums.
Cooperatives and design partnerships.

The muga weaver

A weaver in Sualkuchi, Assam, spends weeks weaving a muga silk mekhela chador. With a GI-tagged label and an online store, she sells it at a fair price to buyers across India.

Thinking handloom is only a tradition, not an economy

Handloom and crafts provide livelihoods to many households, especially women.

Key takeaways

Assam produces unique muga, eri and pat silks; muga has a GI tag.
Handloom weaving is widespread in the Northeast.
Weavers face low incomes, imitations and middlemen.
GI tags, e-commerce and cooperatives help.