Shillong, May 18: A new initiative to blend Northeast’s renowned Eri Silk with Rajasthan’s traditional fabric Kota Doria has been launched with the aim of developing a premium fabric for domestic and global markets.
The collaboration is expected to create new livelihood opportunities for artisans in both Rajasthan and the north eastern states. It also aims to enhance the global value proposition of Indian handloom products.
As part of this initiative, Secretary of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Sanjay Jaju, visited the Kaithoon Common Facility Centre (CFC) in Kota on Sunday, along with Kota District Collector Piyush Samaria and MD, NEHHDC Mara Kocho.
The delegation interacted with local weavers, artisans, and fashion designers. The visit aimed to observe traditional weaving methods that have established Kota Doria as a globally admired textile, known for its lightweight texture and unique check patterns.
During this interaction, discussions centred on the feasibility of integrating eri silk—commonly referred to as “peace silk”—which is renowned for its ethical production process.
Jaju stated that the initiative is envisioned as a model of collaborative textile innovation that integrates regional strengths to create globally competitive products rooted in Indian heritage. He added that the proposed fabric would be positioned as a premium product catering to high-end domestic and international buyers seeking sustainable, handcrafted, and culturally rich textiles.
To institutionalise the collaboration, preparations are underway for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC) and the District Industries Centre (DIC), Government of Rajasthan. The agreement will facilitate cooperation in areas such as joint product and design development, skill enhancement and artisan training, technology support, branding, and market linkage initiatives.
