Question

Give two varieties of silk which are considered as inferior quality to that of mulberry and Tasar silk.

Answer 1

These silks are produced by the caterpillar of Samia ricini and Antheraea Assamensis in which one is common in Northeast India, China, etc and the other one is exclusive to Assam with a geographical tag.

Complete answer:
Eri silk produced by domestic silkworms and Muga silk produced by Antheraea Assamensis are the two silks considered as inferior quality to that of mulberry and Tasar silk. Muga silk is the wild silk that has the geographical tag empowered to the government of Assam. These silks are used as other commercial silk, used to make sarees, shall, etc.

Additional Information:
-Assam was known for the high-quality silk production from ancient times and the exact time period of the start of sericulture in Assam is unknown.
-The Assam Science Technology and Environment Council has protected the Muga silk with a geographical indication in the year 2007 and acquired the geographical indicator logo for the trademark in 2014.
-Muga silk is cultivated and woven everywhere in Assam, but during medieval times, the silk of Sualkuchi gained fame. This was during the 11th century when the pala dynasty ruled Assam.

Note: -Caterpillars of Samia ricini can feed on several plants and are normally grown in the Indian States such as Nagaland, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh.
-Eric silk is obtained without killing any organisms this became popular among vegans, eco-friendly product manufacturers, and even some celebrities
-India produced around 15 tonnes of MUGA silk in 2014, among which 13 tonnes are produced in Assam.