Interesting dimensions of ahimsa silk

Our country has strong roots in producing textiles and accessories in eco-friendly manner. One such is the silk fabric, which is extracted from nature and has the qualification to get into nature after its life cycle. This paper from Dr S Aishwariya deals with dimensions of the sustainable fabric and market share along with people who work towards pushing the fabric to next level.

Textile is one of the essential materials for survival of mankind. To make this inevitable material in a sustainable way, many researches are being done every single day, around the world. Silk among the various natural fibres is coined as the queen of textiles for its impeccable properties like strength (better than steel of same diameter), dyeability, luster, drape, texture and comfort. Natural fibres are by default eco-friendly; use less fossil fuel, bio-degradable and sustainable.

History unveils that silk was exchanged weight by weight with gold in Rome during third century. Asia, Middle East, Rome and India are milestones in the silk route, by which the tradition of silk making popularised in the rest of the world. Turning the pages a little backward, this exotic fibre was believed to be invented in 2640 BC by Chinese Empress Xi Lingshi, as an accidental falling of cocoon from the tree into her tea cup. This remarkable fibre was kept as the top secret by the Chinese for a very long period of 3000 years. The popular term ‘silk route’ explains how the cocoons were transferred to the rest of the world, by stealing some in men’s head gear as they travelled from one place to another. History points out that Arabs got mulberry seeds and silk work eggs from India. Silk for a very long time was considered a fabric of luxury worn only by the royals.

Silk and sericulture – Indian Scenario

In India, silk is an iconic fabric used as a symbol of tradition, religion and craftmanship used in all seasons and fashion. India is the second largest manufacturer of silk after China, and Germans are the leading consumers of silk yarn. It is a pride that Indians have been cultivating all four varieties of silk namely, mulberry, Tasar, Muga and Eri. Assam, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are popular destinations for silk in India. Survey points that 83 per cent of total silk production is from South of India. The Central Silk Board, Bengaluru, is the apex of silk research and development, which strives towards creating better products and market for silk yarns across the globe.

Sericulture is rearing and cultivation of cocoons for silk production. The worms are fed with mulberry leaves and then allowed to create the cocoon. Later, they are immersed in boiling water which loosens the fibre and allows reeling of silk yarn. This will be later twisted and used to make textile, apparel and home furnishings. The length of the yarn in a single cocoon is approximately 914.4 metres (m) or 1,000 yards. Statistically saying, 2,600 silk worms must be killed to make one pound of silk and one mulberry cocoon filament measures up to one kilometer. Interesting fact is 50,000 cocoons are used in order to make a six feet silk sari, and the feeding of those worms is approximately one and half tonnes of mulberry leaves. Each cocoon has 600-900 m silk and five to eight filaments are usually reeled together to make one silk thread.

On a bright side, this is the method of getting a silk yarn, but the concept of killing of the worms in boiling water, so that they die and stay inside was an issue raised by the first environmental activist, Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhiji. He questioned the silk yarn manufacturers if silk fabric can be made without killing the worms. But the solution was not immediate. The fact of killing 5,500 silkworms to make one kilogram of silk was normal. But, today’s eco-norms and legislations, considers this worm killing as a subject of discussion and hence an alternative search for sustainability in silk arouse. Eco-friendliness promoting designers like Lucy Tammam are part of promoting Ahimsa silk to promote sustainable textiles.

Ahimsa silk

Alternative to the above, worms can be left in cocoon where another story on sustainable evolve. This was conceptualised observing what happens in the sericulture unit on a day-to-day basics. During the silk production, a few in a batch grow up soon and try to come out of the cocoon earlier than the others. A secretion from worms, which is a combination of fibroin and sericin helps in dissolving the silk fibre and paves way for the escape of worm to moth.

When the cocoon breaks which result in discontinuous length, that are of average quality and strength compared to the silk yarn. These were labeled as spun silk. The fibre obtained as a result of natural process letting the worm fly away rather than being killed. In 7-10 days, the pupae leave the cocoon by piercing, which is allowed in this case. With the growing issues concerned with ethics in production, this spun silk, labelled as ‘Ahimsa silk’ gained popularity as it claimed to be peace silk and owns the sustainability label. The word Ahimsa was coined with a meaning in Hindi, which means non-violence, suggesting the notion, no violence against any living form or nature. This was a huge hit when launched as peace silk. Today, it is widely accepted by vegans, Jains, environmentalists and yogis who prefer eco-friendly products, organic clothing and products derived from nature.

This can also be a motivation for silk reelers who are mostly in tribal areas of India. The unreelable portion along with the breeders cocoon are mixed and reeled into spun silk/ ahimsa silk, which are part of waste recycling in the sericulture units. Supporting to popularising Ahimsa silk, study shows that union fabrics made by a blend of Khadi cotton with Ahimsa silk and mulberry silk proved that no major difference exists. This also points that Ahimsa silk can be a cost-effective alternative to mulberry silk.

Varieties of Ahimsa silk

There are two main types of Ahimsa silk – cultivated and semi-domesticated, otherwise called as wild. The most commonly cultivated Ahimsa Silk is from species Bombyx mori. It is raised just like conventional cultivated silk, right up to the point where the cocoons would be stifled, or processed with heat, in order to kill the pupa and keep it from breaking through the cocoon. The Ahimsa cocoons are allowed to hatch and breed, and the silk is processed from the hatched cocoons. In some cases, the cocoons can be cut open and the pupa tipped out; this avoids the moth soiling the cocoon with urine.

It is interesting to know that female moth lays around 500 eggs on average. Some strain requires refrigeration and some don’t for fertilization stage. If the conditions are not maintained properly, they will wither and die. After removing from refrigeration, they starve and immediate feed is essential, post which they try to hatch immediately. If stopped they die of starving and dehydration. Either process will require the destruction of approximately 200 to 300 embryos or hatchling silkworm per moth for any amount that exceeds what is required for the next crop. Instead of killing one pupa for the silk of the cocoon, it kills hundreds of caterpillars.

Ahimsa silk – market perspective

India is one of the largest cultivators of Ahimsa silk, which is predominantly made without using refrigerator (multivoltine). In two weeks, the eggs will hatch and food should be immediately supplied to avoid starvation. But most of them are starved to death, due to impossible feed to large number of cocoons. For example, in a batch of 20,000 cocoons, the next generation will have two and a half million, and the next, three hundred and twelve million, which is impossible to be fed.

In our country, handlooms are an important sector, which provides employment to 124 lakh of weavers directly and indirectly. Ahimsa silk is especially made using handlooms in order to suit its coarse and uneven nature. It can be used with other natural and man-made filaments. Ahimsa silk fabric production is usually needed for a period of three months, with two months of spinning and one of month weaving and a monthly production of 2,000 m. The slub and coarse nature of the ahimsa silk makes it very suitable for short wefts in handloom fabric production. It is commonly used as a blend with cotton, art silk, polyestre, filature silk to make shirting and furnishings. Research conducted on ahimsa silk and mulberry silk have proved that the former has better dyeing properties.

Properties of Ahimsa silk

Ahimsa silk yarn being highly versatile with fancy effect, can be interweave with natural and man-made fibres to produce designer fabrics at more reasonable prices. A luxurious feel and incredibly soft Ahimsa silk fabrics would go long way not only to meet the needs of the Indian buyers but also a boon for the Indian exporters. The production cost of Ahimsa silk union fabrics was inexpensive than the pure silks, will be an encouraging enterprise for handloom weavers and designers.

The property of Ahimsa silk is appreciable. It takes 3 months to weave a ahimsa silk sari and priced between 12,000 to 18,000. Price is more as many cocoons are needed to make the yarn. It is different from the actual silk fabric and is in fact cheaper than conventional silk fibre. Ahimsa silk has mat like coarse texture, rough feel, breathable, less-lustrous, slub like appearance, extremely soft, and no dry wash just handwash. The hand-spun and hand-woven, ahimsa silk has a definitely a unique texture and property. It is warm in winter and breathable in summer, which makes it’s a fabric for all seasons. Today, Ahimsa silk is widely used in various occasions starting from formal wear, party, casual and maternity clothing. Conventional and trendy clothing along with accessories like bags, footwear are some of the application areas of this fabric. It is also used in baby clothing, scarf, bedding, and outer wear along with home furnishing. It is marketed with tags like organic and non-violent silk.

Role of Kusuma Rajaiah in promoting Ahimsa silk

The man behind popularising Ahimsa Silk globally was Kusuma Rajaiah, a government officer from Andhra Pradesh. The technocrat decided to make a silk sari without killing worms, as on a request given by the First Lady, Janaki Venkatraman, wife of then Prime Minister, Venkataram (1987-1992). The event happened in 1990 for which a solution was derived in 2000. He experimented buy taking up a loan for Rs 50,000 from his provident fund amount and bought cocoons. It was fed and allowed to hatch and pierce to fly away. He collected and reeled them which gave a understanding that 100 kgs of cocoon gave 16.5 kgs of silk yarn. The weavers and fashion designers have also showed difficulty in production and construction. After a series of research and product development he then launched his brand for Ahimsa silk in 1992, which was made more popular in 2002 with the support from Government.

He has a strong role in promoting this peace silk, which is extracted after the silkworm has completed its metamorphosis and emerged from the cocoon, considering the increased awareness of animal protectionism around the world. Still the claim on morality of sericulture is open and discussed with various perspectives. The fact being several larvae is killed in order to maintain the number in silkworm rearing. This technique has been practiced for more than 5000 years now. The worms usually starve to death after the mating process and have actually lost the ability to fly, be independent and find food for survival. Comparing the conventional silk and ahimsa silk, it is real that silkworms are killed, but are done at different stages.

This Hyderabad-based designer from the Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society’s has pioneered in production of ahimsa silk. He has the patent on Ahimsa silk (2002), logo and trademark (2006), which has reportedly sourced ad use without his knowledge and authentication. According to him 40 per cent of their clients are in the US, the UK and Europe. Other market scope includes Israel, Germany who import the ahimsa silk to be used on lingerie, shawl, stole, shirt and sari. This will definitely increase in the coming years as well. The demand for ahimsa silk is growing especially with the increase in vegan policies and animal welfare awareness created around the globe. Countries like Japan, America, Australia and Europe have a strong market for the eco-friendly silk. Ahimsa peace silk, Pune, suggest that 60 per cent of their sales are targeted towards the clients in the US.

Patrons, designers and brands promoting Ahimsa silk

International patrons promote Ahimsa silk. James Cameron, Director, Avatar movie, stepped into the Oscar with his wife who was adorned with Ahimsa silk. It is also endorsed by Indonesian former president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, who purchased six saris understanding the benefits of this material. In 2017, Vatican Pop Francis was gifted by Kusuma Rajaiah with his handcrafted Ahimsa silk. Famous personalities like Sonia Gandhi, Sheila Dikshit also wore these Ahimsa saris. Annually a sari woven is also sent to Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, a spiritual centre. Recently he has also sent eight meters of Ahimsa Silk to Price Charles.

Deborah Lindquist and Linda Loudermilk, eco-friendly fashion designers and international fashion brands like Marks & Spencer, Organic Avenue promote Ahimsa silk. Internationally acclaimed Indian Fashion Designer, Wendell Rodricks has created a special collection for Gandhi Jayanti in 2009 using Ahimsa silk. Designer Jyoti Reddy has opened a flagship store in Hyderabad and Designer Archana Kochher has made a stunning collection of silhouette, embroideries and Ahimsa silk for New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 2016. Another designer Deepika Govind has also been creating “non-violent shawls and saris” using peace silk. Among the various brands and top two includes Aurora Silk by Cheryl Kolander, Portland and Ahimsa Silk, Leelavati Sabale, Pune. The latter is endorsed by Maneka Gandhi and Dalai Lama.

Issues concerned with sericulture industry

The sericulture industry faces a lot of issues concerned with health and hygiene. It includes issues like high exposure to carbon-dioxide, toxic vapours from boiling cocoons, unhygienic condition, allergy and irritation caused by disinfectant formalin, infections from dead silkworms, Grasserie and Flacherie diseases are some of the problems seen in the sericulture industry. Noise pollution caused by winding, spinning and weaving loom has also been one of the serious threat to the workers. The labor has to stand for 12-16 hours for reeling silk which can be very energy draining activity. Handling of dead worms with bare hands leads to a lot of infections in case the person has blisters.

There are many controversies as nothing like Ahimsa silk exists as the technique is impossible without controlling and killing worms. Due to the feed and inbreeding type of cultivations, the worms are seen to be heavy than their wings, which make them inappropriate to fly. Female moth is usually killed in a mixer and incase of any disease identified the entire batch of eggs are also removed in the same manner. The male moth used for mating are stored in refrigerator and thrown in bin where are they left to die. Conventionally cocoon is killed and is part of yarn, whereas in Ahimsa silk, there are no cocoons, but the moths that emerge are killed. Some claim that this is the technique and reality in which silk is made and there is no other way.

Conclusion

The two sides of the coin are discussed here. Ahimsa silk is called the peace silk or vegan silk and has an increasing demand in the recent past. It involves production of silk without killing the worms and also along with many other beneficial properties. It is a sustainable fabric, which is believed to be a replacement of conventional mulberry silk. The change in raw material can make the silk industry more sustainable.

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The author—Dr S Aishwariya—is Assistant Professor from the Department of Textiles and Clothing, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore. She can be contacted at: aishu55@gmail.com