Silk is a thread that connects India’s history, tradition and art. From the rich, bright colours of Kanchipuram sarees to the earthy beauty of Bhagalpur Tussar, every silk saree tells a story. They are made from pure mulberry silk, woven with care and skill by artisans. This craft has been passed down through generations.

As the loom hums with the rhythm of their hands, the silk saree comes to life—not just as clothing, but as a symbol of India’s diverse and vibrant soul, stitched together by the art of silk.

Sericulture is the process of farming silkworms to make silk. Silkworms are raised on mulberry, oak, castor, and arjun leaves. After about a month, they spin cocoons. These cocoons are collected and boiled to soften the silk. The silk threads are then pulled out, twisted into yarn, and woven into fabric. This careful process turns small silkworms into shiny silk.

India is the second largest producer of silk and also the largest consumer of it in the world. In India, mulberry silk is produced mainly in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal, while the non-mulberry silks are produced in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and north-eastern states.

Mulberry silk comes from silkworms that eat only mulberry leaves. It is soft, smooth, and shiny with a bright glow, making it perfect for luxury sarees and high-end fabrics. 92 per cent of the country's total raw silk production comes from mulberry.

Non-mulberry silk, also known as Vanya silk, comes from wild silkworms that feed on leaves from trees like oak, castor and arjun. This silk has a natural, earthy feel with less shine but is strong, durable, and eco-friendly.

Silk is a high-value but low-volume product, accounting for only 0.2 per cent of the world's total textile production. Silk production is regarded as an important tool for economic development. The developing countries rely on it for employment generation, especially in the rural sector and also as a means to earn foreign exchange.

India's raw silk production has experienced steady growth, rising from 31,906 MT in 2017-18 to 38,913 MT in 2023-24. This growth is supported by the expansion of mulberry plantations from 223,926 hectares in 2017-18 to 263,352 hectares in 2023-24, which boosted mulberry silk production from 22,066 MT in 2017-18 to 29,892 MT in 2023-24. Total raw silk production increased from 31,906 MT in 2017-18 to 38,913 MT in 2023-24. Exports of silk and silk goods rose from ₹1,649.48 crores in 2017-18 to ₹2,027.56 crores in 2023-24.

As per Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics reports, the country exported 3348 MT of silk waste in 2023-24. Silk waste consists of leftover or imperfect silk from the production process, such as broken fibres or pieces of cocoons. While it's regarded as waste, it can still be repurposed to create lower-quality products like silk yarn or fabric, or even recycled into new silk items.