Saris are almost inseparable from the culture of India; the garment has been worn for thousands of thousands of years. Typically made from silk, saris are essentially a long piece of silk that is wrapped and tucked in specific ways in order to form a dress. However, saris are not the only silk items produced in India; a list of some of the most common types of this raw material used to manufacture silk fabrics, garments, saris, scarves and accessories.

India is second only to China in silk production, producing up to 18 % of the world’s silk and silk products. The most common of this type of fabric is mulberry silk, which is harvested from cocoons of caterpillars that feed on mulberry plants; mulberry silk can be manufactured many different ways, each resulting in a different texture, finish and thickness (there are ten different varieties).

Though this type of silk material is the most common, there are other, more specialised types as well. Tasar silk is harvested from worms that feed on Arjun and Asan plants and is most commonly used in furniture production. Muga comes from Sorn and Soalu plant eating worms; this type is fairly rare, and is used for gowns and saris.

Silk fabrics, garments, saris, scarves and accessories made from Indian silk are generally of higher quality than those from other countries. If the demand for this raw material continues to grow at the current pace, Indian products will continue to become more and more common in the global marketplace.