GI Protected Fibres in India
Following are the GI protected fibres in India.
Mysore Silk, Karnataka
Mysore Silk is a kind of mulberry silk. The Mysore silk became famous after 1912 when the royal Wodeyar family patronized the weaving art by importing 32 looms from Switzerland. Most of these looms are still working.
Muga Silk
Muga silk is the product of the silkworm Antheraea assamensis endemic to Assam. The larvae of these moths feed on som (Machilus bombycina) and sualu (Litsaea polyantha) leaves. The silk produced is known for its glossy fine texture and durability. It was previously reported that muga silk cannot be dyed or bleached due to “low porosity”, but this is incorrect; muga takes dye like any other silk. This silk can be hand-washed with its lustre increasing after every wash. Very often the silk outlives its owner.
Bhagalpur Silk
Bhagalpur is known as SILK CITY as it is famous worldwide for its silk production. The silk industry in this city is 200 of years old and a whole clan exists that has been producing silk for generations. Bhagalpur is well known for its sericulture, manufacture of silk yarn and weaving them into lovely products. This silk is of a distinct and special type. It is known as Tussah or Tusser Silk. Bhagalpur silk is a household name in India and the lovers of Bhagalpur silk fabrics are found all over the India.
Kashmir Pashmina
Pashmina is fine type cashmere wool. The textiles made from it were first woven in Kashmir. The name comes from Persian pašmina, meaning “made from wool and literally translates to “Soft Gold” in Kashmiri. The wool comes from four distinct breeds of the Cashmere goat; namely the Changthangi or Kashmir Pashmina goat from the Changthang plateau in Kashmir region, the Malra from Kargil area in Kashmir region, the Chegu from Himachal Pradesh in northern India, and Chyangara or Nepalese Pashmina goat from Nepal. Pashmina shawls are hand spun, and woven in Kashmir and Nepal, and made from fine cashmere fibre. The fibre is also known as pashm or pashmina for its use in the handmade shawls of the Himalayas.
Gopalpur Tussar Fabrics
Gopalpur village of Jajpur District is famous for Tussar fabrics in India. This handicraft received the Geographical Indication tag by Government of India in 2009. Tussar textiles are often related with dhoti, joda, Shawl stole and scarves and Saarees.
