The Silk Lab is the scientific research wing of 7WEAVES Research, working at the intersection of conservation biology, genetics, and traditional knowledge in the forests of Assam. Based in the Loharghat Forest Range, Kamrup District, the lab's research is rooted in long-term engagement with the Pati Rabha and Garo communities, whose silk-rearing traditions have shaped, and been shaped by, the forest ecosystems they inhabit.

A central focus of the lab's current research is the relationship between the semi-domesticated Eri silkmoth (Samia ricini) and its wild relative (Samia canningi). In Loharghat, these two species do not exist in isolation; generations of traditional rearing practice have shaped an intricate relationship between the wild and semi-domesticated forms, one that continues to influence the genetic make-up of local Eri populations today. The lab is working to understand this relationship more closely, drawing on both field observation and genetic study to see how tradition and biology intersect.
This work sits within a wider interest in Assam's broader wild silk heritage, including the Muga silkmoth (Antheraea assamensis) and the Tasar silkmoth (Antheraea mylitta). Across all species under study, the lab draws on molecular methods to build a clearer picture of genetic diversity and population health, and of how traditional practices continue to shape these wild and semi-domesticated silk moth populations.

Alongside formal scientific method, the lab places strong emphasis on the systematic documentation of native science held by the communities. This includes knowledge of moth behaviour, host plant selection, seasonal cycles, and rearing techniques developed and refined over generations.

By bridging indigenous practice with molecular science, the lab generates research that strengthens forest governance, informs conservation policy, and honours the knowledge systems at the heart of Assam's wild silk landscapes.