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Textiles & apparel

Export silk yarn and fabrics

Mulberry, tasar, eri and muga silk yarn and fabrics — Banaras, Kanchipuram, Mysore and Bhagalpur weaves — for fashion and furnishing buyers.

Free to exportHS 5004
HS code
5004
Silk yarn not for retail sale (5004), yarn spun from silk waste (5005), silk yarn for retail sale (5006) and woven silk fabrics (5007).
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 2; no licence is needed. Confirm the 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 222 mn
to 71 countries

What is exported

India is the world’s second-largest silk producer and the only country that produces all four commercial silks: mulberry, tasar, eri and muga. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand produce the raw silk; weaving centres such as Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Bhagalpur and Bengaluru turn it into fabric. Silk fabrics, scarves and furnishings sell to the USA, the UAE, Europe and the UK.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Mulberry silk yarn and fabricBivoltine and multivoltine silk from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Tasar silkWild silk from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Bhagalpur, with a natural gold colour.
  • Eri silkSpun “peace silk” from Assam, used for shawls and stoles.
  • Muga silkGolden silk found only in Assam.
  • Silk blends, noil and dupion fabricsTextured fabrics for furnishings and fashion.

Where it is grown or made

  • KarnatakaRamanagara, Mysuru and Bengaluru — mulberry silk and Mysore silk.
  • Uttar PradeshVaranasi — brocades and silk sarees.
  • Tamil Nadu and Andhra PradeshKanchipuram, Arani and Salem; Dharmavaram.
  • Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and AssamBhagalpur (tasar), Murshidabad and Malda, Sualkuchi (muga and eri).

Export packing

  • Fabric rolled on tubes or folded in tissue, polybagged and packed in cartons; yarn in hanks or cones.
  • Small high-value lots usually go by air or courier.

Who buys abroad

  • Fashion brands and fabric importers
  • Interior and furnishing companies
  • Diaspora boutiques for sarees and fabrics

The quality buyers ask for

Fibre
Mulberry, tasar, eri or muga; blends declared by percentage
Weight
Momme or g/m² for fabric; denier for yarn
Weave
Plain, satin, crepe, brocade, jacquard, noil or dupion
Colour fastness
Washing, rubbing, light and perspiration, usually grade 3–4 or better (ISO 105 / AATCC methods)
Restricted substances
No banned azo dyes; formaldehyde, pH and heavy metals within REACH and buyer limits

Certificates

  • RCMCRequiredRegistration with the export promotion council or board for your product (not needed up to ₹3 lakh FOB per consignment since 15 Sep 2026).
  • Silk MarkOften askedQuality label for pure silk from the Silk Mark Organisation of India (Central Silk Board).
  • Handloom Mark / India Handloom BrandOften askedMinistry of Textiles labels for genuine handloom products.
  • GOTSOften askedGlobal Organic Textile Standard, for goods sold as organic cotton or silk.
  • OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100Often askedTests the finished textile for harmful substances; widely asked for by retailers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Mostly air freight or courier for high-value lots; LCL sea freight for larger orders.

How it travels

Air from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Varanasi and Kolkata.

Storage

Cool, dry, dark storage; protect from moths and humidity.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • USA: fibre content by percentage, country of origin and the manufacturer’s name or RN number on a permanent label (FTC Textile Act rules); care label for consumer goods.
  • EU: fibre names and percentages under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, in the language of the selling country; care symbols are commonly expected.
  • Use the Silk Mark or Handloom Mark only if the product is certified under them.
Where to get it tested

The Central Silk Board runs silk testing and conditioning houses and the Silk Mark Organisation tests purity (csb.gov.in); textile research associations and NABL-accredited labs test fastness and fibre content (nabl-india.org).

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC)RCMC for natural silk and silk-blend yarns, fabrics, made-ups, garments and carpets under Appendix 2T.silkepc.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Silk Mark label (Silk Mark Organisation of India, under the Central Silk Board) as proof of pure silk, often asked for by buyers.
  • Fibre content, colour fastness to washing, rubbing and light, and weight in momme or g/m².
  • Zari content declared correctly; real gold or silver zari may change the customs line.
How to start small

Work with a Silk Mark-authorised weaver cooperative in Varanasi, Bhagalpur or Kanchipuram, and send swatch books to boutique fabric importers and interior designers. Courier samples, then ship by air in small lots. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Selling silk-polyester blends as pure silk — a lab test exposes it and ends the relationship.
  • Poor colour fastness on handloom silk, causing returns from retailers.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC)
  3. Central Silk Board — Ministry of Textiles
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  5. IP India (Geographical Indications Registry) — Registration details of Geographical Indications

Trade data

Indian silk yarn and fabrics exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 222 mn
+30.5% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +73%
US$ 128 mn → US$ 222 mn
Buyer countries
71
Average export price
US$ 10.66
per kg · 20,834 tonnes shipped · US$ 11.70 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 172 mnUnited States of America: US$ 14.3 mnSingapore: US$ 6.4 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 4.6 mnItaly: US$ 4.3 mnFrance: US$ 3.2 mnMalaysia: US$ 1.8 mnHong Kong: US$ 1.5 mnGermany: US$ 1.2 mnNepal: US$ 1 mnBhutan: US$ 960kJapan: US$ 890kNorway: US$ 870kSpain: US$ 850kNetherlands: US$ 850kBelgium: US$ 690kChina: US$ 680kCanada: US$ 610kAustralia: US$ 510kTürkiye: US$ 390kOman: US$ 260kNew Zealand: US$ 240kSouth Korea: US$ 230kQatar: US$ 230kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 172 mnUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of America: US$ 14.3 mnUnited States of AmericaSingapore: US$ 6.4 mnSingaporeUnited Kingdom: US$ 4.6 mnUnited KingdomItaly: US$ 4.3 mnItalyFrance: US$ 3.2 mnMalaysia: US$ 1.8 mnHong Kong: US$ 1.5 mnHong KongGermany: US$ 1.2 mnNepal: US$ 1 mnBhutan: US$ 960kJapan: US$ 890kNorway: US$ 870kSpain: US$ 850kNetherlands: US$ 850kBelgium: US$ 690kChina: US$ 680kCanada: US$ 610kAustralia: US$ 510kTürkiye: US$ 390kOman: US$ 260kNew Zealand: US$ 240kSouth Korea: US$ 230kQatar: US$ 230kIndia
Where Indian silk yarn and fabrics goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 58.7 mn592020-212021-22: US$ 86 mn862021-222022-23: US$ 78.7 mn792022-232023-24: US$ 83.8 mn842023-242024-25: US$ 128 mn1282024-252025-26: US$ 222 mn2222025-26
India’s silk yarn and fabrics exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2020-21, lowest in 2022-23 — a 26% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 12.90 per kg12.902021-22: US$ 10.64 per kg2022-23: US$ 10.25 per kg10.252024-25: US$ 11.70 per kg2025-26: US$ 10.66 per kg10.662020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian silk yarn and fabrics · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 58.7 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 86 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 78.7 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 83.8 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 128 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 222 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 219 mn (US$ 162 mn – US$ 297 mn)2192026-272027-28: US$ 274 mn (US$ 196 mn – US$ 385 mn)2742027-28
India’s silk yarn and fabrics exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 274 mn

Likely range US$ 196 mn to US$ 385 mn.

Trend
+25.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.82
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United Arab EmiratesUS$ 172 mn+125.1%
2United States of AmericaUS$ 14.3 mn+12.4%
3SingaporeUS$ 6.4 mn-35.1%
4United KingdomUS$ 4.6 mn+8.5%
5ItalyUS$ 4.3 mn-18.5%
6FranceUS$ 3.2 mn+41%
7MalaysiaUS$ 1.8 mn-12.7%
8Hong KongUS$ 1.5 mn+252.4%
9GermanyUS$ 1.2 mn+11.8%
10NepalUS$ 1 mn-21.2%
11BhutanUS$ 960k-2%
12JapanUS$ 890k+7.2%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 76.5 mn → US$ 172 mn+125.1%
  2. FranceUS$ 2.3 mn → US$ 3.2 mn+41%
  3. United States of AmericaUS$ 12.7 mn → US$ 14.3 mn+12.4%

Low demand

  1. SingaporeUS$ 9.8 mn → US$ 6.4 mn-35.1%
  2. ItalyUS$ 5.3 mn → US$ 4.3 mn-18.5%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Items other thn sarees contng >85% by weight of slk etc..5007 20 90 · Silk, woven fabrics, containing 85% or more by weight of silk or of silk waste other than noil silkUS$ 202 mn+92.6%18.5 mn m²US$ 10.93 per m²was US$ 11.47
Sarees contng >=85% by weight of slk/slk wst, other than noil slk.5007 20 10 · Silk, woven fabrics, containing 85% or more by weight of silk or of silk waste other than noil silkUS$ 7.1 mn-25.1%701k m²US$ 10.09 per m²was US$ 12.87
Silk, woven fabrics in heading no. 5007 — other fabrics5007 90 90US$ 4.9 mn-5.8%1.2 mn m²US$ 4.00 per m²was US$ 8.07
Other woven fabrics of handloom5007 90 10 · Silk, woven fabrics in heading no. 5007US$ 2.2 mn-20.1%209k m²US$ 10.62 per m²was US$ 12.03
Yrn spn frm slk wst other thn noil slk contng >=85% by weight of slk wst.5005 00 11 · Silk, yarn spun from silk waste, not put up for retail saleUS$ 2 mn+18.6%30 tonnesUS$ 65.90 per kgwas US$ 46.45
Silk, yarn, not put up for retail sale — mulberry dupion silk yarn5004 00 10US$ 930k-1.1%32 tonnesUS$ 29.37 per kgwas US$ 43.61
Woven fabrics of noil silk5007 10 00 · Silk, woven fabrics of noil silkUS$ 680k-37%76k m²US$ 8.92 per m²was US$ 13.48
Spun frm slk wst other than noil slk contn <85% by weight of slk5006 00 31 · Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gutUS$ 580k+114.8%3.9 tonnesUS$ 150.45 per kgwas US$ 131.90
Yrn spn frm noil slk contng >=85% by weight of slk wst.5005 00 12 · Silk, yarn spun from silk waste, not put up for retail saleUS$ 520k+67.7%25 tonnesUS$ 20.96 per kgwas US$ 20.37
Yrn spn frm noil slk contng <85% by weight of silk5005 00 22 · Silk, yarn spun from silk waste, not put up for retail saleUS$ 360k+350%25 tonnesUS$ 14.49 per kgwas US$ 15.24
Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gut — slk embroidery thread5006 00 11US$ 250k-30.6%16 tonnesUS$ 15.46 per kgwas US$ 17.87
Silk, yarn, not put up for retail sale — other yarn5004 00 90US$ 170k-79.5%2.5 tonnesUS$ 66.88 per kgwas US$ 59.21
Others-of-slk yrn and yrn spun from slk wast put up for retail sale,slk-worm gut5006 00 90 · Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gutUS$ 140k-6.7%5.6 tonnesUS$ 25.21 per kgwas US$ 29.59
Other slk yrn contng>=85% by weight of slk5006 00 29 · Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gutUS$ 120k—3.8 tonnesUS$ 31.82 per kg

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 1.03 bn
2023
India among exporters
#4
of 105 countries
India’s share of world exports
6.2%
US$ 80.7 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 1.21 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 528 mn 40.9%
  2. 2ItalyUS$ 256 mn 19.8%
  3. 3RomaniaUS$ 102 mn 7.9%
  4. 4IndiaUS$ 80.7 mn 6.2%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 50.9 mn 3.9%
  6. 6Viet NamUS$ 50.4 mn 3.9%
  7. 7UzbekistanUS$ 40.5 mn 3.1%
  8. 8JapanUS$ 26.9 mn 2.1%
  9. 9Rep. of KoreaUS$ 24.2 mn 1.9%
  10. 10BrazilUS$ 24 mn 1.9%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1ItalyUS$ 252 mn 24.4%
  2. 2FranceUS$ 94.7 mn 9.2%
  3. 3JapanUS$ 74 mn 7.2%
  4. 4USAUS$ 55.2 mn 5.3%
  5. 5IndiaUS$ 54.8 mn 5.3%
  6. 6TunisiaUS$ 34 mn 3.3%
  7. 7Sri LankaUS$ 31.6 mn 3.1%
  8. 8MadagascarUS$ 31.2 mn 3%
  9. 9RomaniaUS$ 29.7 mn 2.9%
  10. 10Rep. of KoreaUS$ 27.9 mn 2.7%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

ItalyUS$ 234 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 231 mn
FranceUS$ 76.9 mnIndia 2.9% · gap US$ 74.7 mn
JapanUS$ 64.7 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 63.9 mn
United States of AmericaUS$ 51.8 mnIndia 20.9% · gap US$ 40.9 mn
GermanyUS$ 31.6 mnIndia 4.2% · gap US$ 30.3 mn
Sri LankaUS$ 26.5 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 26.4 mn
South KoreaUS$ 22.9 mnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 22.7 mn
United KingdomUS$ 25.7 mnIndia 14.7% · gap US$ 21.9 mn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 22.8 mnIndia 17.5% · gap US$ 18.8 mn
ChinaUS$ 17.3 mnIndia 3.7% · gap US$ 16.7 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export silk yarn and fabrics

China is the world’s largest silk producer and exporter; India is second and also a large silk consumer, importing some raw silk. India stands out for its range of wild silks (tasar, eri, muga) and its handloom traditions, which no competitor matches. Buyers are fashion, furnishing and luxury brands and diaspora retailers. Openings lie in eri “peace silk”, GI-tagged weaves and certified organic silk.

  1. 01Send samples and agree the spec

    Send swatches or cones with test reports; fix construction, GSM or count, shade, tolerances, packing and the testing lab in the purchase order.

  2. 02Secure yarn

    Buy raw or twisted silk yarn of consistent quality; Central Silk Board schemes support reelers and weavers.

  3. 03Weave and finish

    Weave on handloom or powerloom, degum, dye and finish.

  4. 04Certify and test

    Get Silk Mark labels and test fastness and fibre content.

  5. 05Book, stuff and file the shipping bill

    Book the container, stuff it at the factory or a CFS, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit code and the RoDTEP/RoSCTL declaration, and get the bill of lading.

  6. 06Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP, RoSCTL or drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting silk yarn and fabrics

Which council handles silk?
The Indian Silk Export Promotion Council covers natural silk and silk-blend products.
What is Silk Mark?
A label certifying pure silk, issued under the Central Silk Board; it reassures buyers.
What is peace silk?
Usually eri silk, spun after the moth leaves the cocoon; popular with ethical buyers.
Which GI silks can I sell?
Mysore, Kancheepuram, Arani, Bhagalpur, Muga, Bodo Eri, Murshidabad and others — only as a registered or authorised user.
What RoDTEP applies?
Silk fabrics (5007) earn 1.6% capped at ₹12.3 per square metre; silk yarns 0.5%.
Sources (5)
  1. Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC)
  2. Central Silk Board — Ministry of Textiles
  3. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  4. IP India (Geographical Indications Registry) — Registration details of Geographical Indications
  5. US FTC — Labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts

Who buys Indian silk yarn and fabrics

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