Blending is the most accessible value-addition route open to handloom weavers and designers. Blended yarns run on the worsted system, suit high-speed weaving and knitting, and reach export markets at a lower cost than pure eri.
Blend performance
| Blend | Performance |
|---|---|
| Eri / wool | Excellent total hand value of 4 and above as winter suiting; 50:50 gives better thermal comfort than virgin wool or silk alone, with good pilling resistance, low drape, reasonable wicking, improved strength and firmness; 67:33 gives the best aesthetic comfort |
| Eri / acrylic | Good appearance, lustre, light weight, thermal insulation and cost-effectiveness for general garments |
| Eri / cotton | Good mechanical and thermal insulation properties |
| Eri / bamboo | Suited to dress materials |
| Eri / polyester | Higher mechanical strength but low moisture regain and thermal comfort |
The eri/wool blend is the standout: at 50:50 it beats both parent fibres on thermal
comfort, which is unusual and is the strongest technical argument for eri in winter suiting.
Eri/polyester is the counter-example — stronger on paper, but it gives away the
moisture regain and thermal behaviour that make eri worth using in the first place.