What is Muga ? Muga silk is a wonderful gift of nature extracted from a species of insect not to be found any where in the world except in the North Eastern region of India. Muga is obtained from semi domesticated silk worm called aantheraea asamenisis. Antheraea assamensis are raised outdoors primarily on two trees - som (Machilus bombycina) and soalu (Litsaea Polyantha). The caterpillars are placed on a tree and when they have stripped the tree of foliage, the caterpillars will make a mass exit down the trunk. They are collected by the keepers and placed on another tree. When ready to spin their cocoons, these caterpillars once again exit the tree where they were feeding. This behaviour allows the keepers to collect and control the caterpillars. Each caterpillar is placed into a jail, a container made of dried twigs. The peduncle (silk that anchors the cocoon) is very weak; the caterpillars prefer a low place with numerous twigs to protect them while in their cocoons. The silk is called muga, the Assamese word for the rich amber colour of the cocoon. The muga cocoon has a very weak peduncle and is golden yellow. The cocoons are boiled in soap and soda solution and are reeled in reeling machine.	SOM PLANTATION (Muga)
Chemically speaking muga is made of proteins secreted in the fluid state by a caterpillar, popularly known as silkworm. These silkworms feed on the selected food plants and spin cocoons as a protective shell to perpetuate the life. Silkworm has four stages in its life cycle viz. egg, caterpillar, pupa and moth. Man interferes this life cycle at the cocoon stage to obtain the silk a continuous filament of commercial importance used in weaving of the dream fabric
	Rearing of Muga Caterpillars for Cocoon.

What is ERI ?

Castor Plantation (ERI)

The word eri is a derivative from Sanskrit nomenclature for castor plant, eranada. Castor leaf is the main food for the eri silkworms and so named as eri. This is the only completely domesticated non-mulberry variety. Its silk is spun as it can not be reeled.

Eri Cocoons.

Also known as endi or errandi, eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk. Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, philosamia rinini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. Ericulture is a household activity practiced mainly for protein rich pupae, a delicacy for the tribal. Resultantly, the eri cocoons are openmouthed and are spun.

Hatched larva are mounted on castor leafs in rearing house and allowed to grow. The worms pass four moults within a period of 30 to 32 days.

Yarn making/ production

Eri Worms transforming into cocoons on castor leaf.

The cocoons of eri silk warm cannot be reeled, as they are made of uneven fiber.

Eri silk is cotton like fiber made from eri silk cocoon rears indoor. Eri silk is unique with rough appearance but with an aesthetic appeal. It has appearance of wool mixed with cotton but softness of silk. It has natural off white colour and also can be dyed. It is the only silk which is drawn without killing the pupa and hence qualifies as most eco-friendly among silk.

 Qualities

Fabric oven with eri silk have strength and durability. Good elasticity. Less wrinkle. Has specific thermal property – if woven in thick texture, it can be used as woolen fabric.
	Quilted bed cover made of Eri.

 

Products

Product ranges from dress material to furnishing material. Shawls. Jacket. Dress materials. Quilt. Baby dress. Blanket. Furnishings – curtains, bedcovers, cushion covers, wall hangings.
	Ghisa Shawl

Ghisa production

 

Ghisa yarn (hand spun yarn) is produced from wastes of muga and tassar cocoon. Cocoon are cooked for reeling. In the process of reeling outer flossy layer of the cocoon are peeled to find out the true conditions filament of the cocoon. The fin layer of the cocoon cannot be reeled. The outer flossy layer and the interior palede layer that obtained in reeling in waste materials. Ghisa yarn also in produced from pierced cocoon also. From ghisa yarn scarf, coarse fabric, Stoll etc. may be produced.

Popularity

 

Popularity of muga fabrics is mainly because of the following qualities.

• Natural Golden Shade >> Natural Golden colour of muga is unique. There are hardly any fabric with this golden colour in natural shade. Unlike mulberry silk which is bleached and dried, muga silk has the natural quality of appearing almost like spun gold.
• Glossy >> Besides the golden colour, the muga fabric is glossy. It makes the golden colour more attractive both outside and inside use.
• Fine texture >> It is very difficult to find diverse qualities blended into one yarn. Lustrous texture is one of the various qualities found in muga fabric.
• Durability >> Muga silk is also very durable. Articles of muga clothing have been known to last for 50 years. For 600 years muga silk was worm only by Ahom king and noble families of Assam.

 

Some exceptional qualities of muga fabric. Comfortable in both summer and winter . With the introduction of improved technology for processing muga fabric wearing of muga dresses has become comfortable in both summer and winter. This quality has helped entrepreneurs to go for production of various dresses to be used in different seasons. An echo friendly textile product . It is eco friendly in nature since chemicals are not use at any stage of production to retain it's golden colour. The shine of muga increases with every wash . This is indeed an another unique quality of muga fabric. Frequent wearing is not a problem.

Muga Scarf - A Popular clothing accessory.

Exquisite embroidery on muga fabric ------>

Some additional qualities:

• Can retain its original colour, hardness and other qualities up to temperature 200C.
• Highest Tensile strength among all the natural fibers.
• 30% moisture regain capacity.
• Muga can absorb ultra violate ray upto 85.08 %.

 

 

Comparision:

Muga	Other Fabrics
Muga has a golden colour in it's original form.	Original natural colour is always white.
Most durable fabric.	Less durable in comparison to muga.
Raw material available only in Brahamaputra Valley in North East India.	Available in many places.
Can be washed by all washing materials.	There are washing restrictions.
Stain free fabric.	Not so.
Golden colour of muga increases with every wash	Follows the natural low of decrees in the shine with time.
Second costliest fabric next to Pashmina	Less costly.
Can be used for furnishing materials and as decorative items besides dress materials	Mainly dress materials

Scope of Investment

Effort for increasing production base in the state;

Production of diversified muga products passes through various activities like silk worm rearing for cocoon, reeling, weaving etc. Different government departments, agencies and private entrepreneurs have been taking various steps for increasing the production base of the raw materials and for creating support services for each of the activities.
	Muga worms transforming into cocoons

Muga worm rearing for cocoon production ;

Extensive and intensive efforts are on to increase the production of muga cocoon in different parts of the state both in government and private sectors.

Reeling ;

Number of reelers for production of yarn has been increasing. Motor cum paddle operated reeling machines are being used for reeling of Muga yarn.

Spinning ;

 

Electric spinning machine has also been introduced for production of Eri yarn.

Fine Muga yarn can be reeled in electric reeling machine	Electric spinning machine

 

Weaving;

Efforts are on to harness the inherent skill of weavers and train them up to employ techniques and loom accessories that not only improve the quality and marketability of the traditional products, but also facilitated production of value-added products.
	Improved Designs on Muga Fabric.