At this later stage the cocoon yields one-sixth of the filament. “Instead, we allow the silk moths to pierce their cocoons naturally and … Wild silk moths are bred, rather than the domestic variety. He invented the method for producing silk using an eco-friendly way and without the need for killing the silk worms. TO SOURCE CONVENTIONAL SILK, THE COCOONS ARE BOILED WHICH MAKES THE SILKWORMS DIE HARASSINGLY. “Instead, we allow the silk moths to pierce their cocoons naturally and come out from their metamorphosis and live their fullest life peacefully. “We dispensed with the conventional method of boiling live silk worms in their cocoons to extract the requisite filament/thread,” says Rajaiah. As they grow, the caterpillars secrete liquid protein to construct their cocoons, which is eventually extracted as raw silk. With this method, the cocoon is used after the moth emerges, so as not to kill the moth. Silk production has a large carbon and water cost, largely due to the high levels of fertilizer and water that are required per unit of fibre produced when compared to certain other natural or semi-natural fibres (14). Silk comes from the cocoons of the silk worm (bombyx mori). [1], The subspecies of the ailanthus silkmoth, Samia cynthia ricini, eat the leaves of the castor bean or cassava leaves. “Hollywood celebrities like Courtney Cox have been spotted in it, the Duchess of Cornwall ordered Ahimsa silk to make pyjamas for Prince Charles, and I’ve also presented an Ahimsa silk garment to the Pope at the Vatican in 2017,” says Rajaiah. Here, the production of silk and rearing of silkworms (also known as “sericulture”) plays an integral role in the culture and economy of Assam. Search for Information. Many attempts have been made to produce a synthetic alternative, but the results have been poor and the quality much different to the natural material. [3], "Ahimsa (Peace) Silk – Why I Think it Doesn't Add Up", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ahimsa_silk&oldid=990513049, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 November 2020, at 22:20. Grown in India where the Indian culture celebrates Ahimsa & Non-Violence. Types of silks and where to buy Indian silks online from outside India. The process of silk production is known as sericulture. Ahimsa silk is a method of non-violent silk breeding and harvesting. This type of silk is produced from Bombyx mori silkworms that eat exclusively mulberry leaves. In the silk industry, cocoons are killed by steaming or dropping them into boiling water when they are ten days old, before they metamorphose into a moth. However, in the last decade, an Indian man from Hyderabad has been able to develop commercially viable Ahimsa or non-violent silk. The other types of silkworm that are used for this process are a subspecies of the ailanthus silkmoth and several types of tussah or Tasar moths: the Chinese tussah moth, the Indian Tasar moth, and the muga moth. With the production of traditional silk, the silkworm is boiled alive but with Peace Silk® the top of the cocoon is gently cut open to allow the developing moth to escape and to finish its natural lifecycle outside of the cocoon. Many vegetarians and even some vegans have decided that it allows them a way to use silk without sacrificing animal life. Ahimsa silk is a method of non-violent silk breeding and harvesting. The cruelty-free yarn was first patented in India in 2006, and has now been used in designer collections showcased all over the world. “We dispensed with the conventional method of boiling live silk worms in their cocoons to extract the requisite filament/thread,” says Rajaiah. Researchers are working on finding other methods to extract silk from … This is done so that the silk fibers do not break. Archana Kochhar took the vegan textile to the runways of New York with her spring/summer 2016 collection. Ahimsa silk. While it’s no secret that the production of silk kills the very organism that produces it, did you know that 30,000-50,000 silkworms are killed to make one six-yard sari? He says that Mahatma Gandhi, a man of non-violence, was the inspiration behind his new approach. By contrast, cocoons that are unraveled as a single, continuous thread create the sleek, smooth texture of most silks. Other vegan or cruelty free silks are Spider silk and Art silk. The conventional method of silk production involves killing of several silkworms to make silk clothes, which isn’t a very good idea. We have our own indigenous strains of Tussar, Eri, Muga etc. Even though Ahimsa silk is costlier and more time-consuming to produce than regular silk, Rajaiah’s product has domestic and well as international demand. Ahimsa silk makes up a relatively small percentage of total sales. But maybe not, … About Us. In about 10-14 days each of the eggs hatches and produces a larva which is also known as a caterpillar. The worms are boiled or blasted with steam by manufacturers to collect the cocoons, and this process kills the pupae. Each one will lay from 200 to 500 eggs. Rajaiah is heavily influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent philosophy. Another type of silk is Ahimsa silk, which is made from the cocoons of Bombyx mori moths after the moths chew their way out of their cocoons. Home Products Fabrics Tussar Silk. What is Ahimsa Silk? This set him on a decade-long journey that ended in the production of Ahimsa silk; he created his first sample sarees in 1991 and then made Ahimsa silk a commercial product in 2001. He is very bullish about the growth of the vegan industry—it will provide him with a bigger base of customers. Wild silk moths are bred, rather than the domestic variety. Silk travelled to the Indian subcontinent via the silk route traders and became a favourite with emperors and aristocracy, who encouraged the industry within India itself. “Brides are in no mood to compromise on their wedding ensemble”: Falguni and Shane Peacock on their latest couture offering. It only costs 1 1/2 times more than the conventional silk" said Mr. Rajaiah, handloom technologist Mention the word silk and people automatically have mental associations of luxury and occasion wear, textiles with shimmery surfaces and a soft, rich hand feels. If any disease is found, the eggs are destroyed. The female silkworm lays 300-400 eggs and insulates them on the leaves of the mulberry tree. My goal is that everyone should have at least one Ahimsa silk product in their wardrobe.” After a 27-year-long career, the government of Telangana also recognised Rajaiah as an ‘Eminent Personality’ in 2018. The resulting silk is usually of a slightly harsher texture but still can be used to weave exquisite sarees. To understand the entire process of Silk Production, we must understand how the yarn is produced from the worm. Another way to produce silk is the ahimsa method, used by Jains. Who invented the Ahimsa silk? After they have laid their eggs, female moths are crushed to death and their bodies are checked under a microscope for diseases. Silk is harvested from the cocoons of the larvae of the silk moth. No animals suffer or die for the silk to be produced, making it a favorable alternative to normal silk for those who do not believe in harming animals. Wild silk moths are bred, rather than the domestic variety. There’s a version of silk called ‘Peace Silk’ or Ahimsa Silk that allows silkworms to hatch out of their cocoons, but it is more time and cost intensive. The commercial cultivation of the silkworm is also known as Sericulture in scientific language. Ahimsa silk is not cruelty free silk. In what has been called “Peace silk”, marketed under the name of Ahimsa silk, the fiber is extracted after the worm has completed metamorphosis and emerged from the cocoon. Need for Authentic branding. Rajaiah is a firm believer in Mahatma Gandhi and the principles of non-violence. Ahimsa silk may also be manufactured from Tasar and tussah silks, leaving the moths to their own designs. Rajaiah says he started giving a serious thought to "Ahimsa" silk when in the 1990s. asked 1 day ago in Animals in Daily Life by Pahi (45.4k points) closed 1 day ago by Pahi. animals in daily life; class-7; Share It On Facebook Twitter Email. While the Bombyx mori (also called mulberry silkworm or mulberry silk moth) are the preferred species for creating ahimsa silk, there are a few other types of species that fall under the category of ahimsa silk, which is defined not necessarily by the species of the moth involved but by the methods for harvesting the cocoon. And so the legend goes that the young royal invented the reel and loom and began to teach the ladies of her court how t… Ahimsa silk is made is an eco-friendly way. At silk-production facilities in India, silkworms who are allowed to mature into moths fare little better than those who were boiled alive inside their cocoons. Meanwhile, the government of India granted Rajaiah a patent and trade marks for Ahimsa silk in 2006, since he was the first man to create it. No animals suffer or die for the silk to be produced, making it a favorable alternative to normal silk for those who do not believe in harming animals. The larvae are covered in tiny dark hair. It allows the completion of the metamorphosis of the silkworm to its moth stage, whereas most silk harvesting requires the silkworms to be killed in their cocoon stage. Ahimsa silk, though popular with the followers of From a short-run economic standpoint, it is difficult to make the argument for peace silk as it requires 10 extra days in the process to let the larvae grow and the moths to hatch out of the cocoons. Kusuma Rajaiah, who hails from a weaver’s family, studied fibres and filaments at Indian institute of Handloom Technology for three years. To obtain silk, distributors boil the worms alive inside their cocoons. True ahimsa silk is the one that’s produced from wild moths. It allows the completion of the metamorphosis of the silkworm to its moth stage, whereas most silk harvesting requires the silkworms to be killed in their cocoon stage. "Ahimsa silk is not even expensive. It was Chinese Empress Xi Lingshiwho is credited with discovering this illustrious fabric. As the cocoon began to unravel itself, the Empress admired the beauty of the shimmering threads. The pupa is allowed to hatch and the leftover cocoon is then used to create silk. What’s wrong with silk? "Ahimsa" is the Hindu word for "non-violence." This non-Ahimsa method is how most silk is produced. Ahimsa silk is a method of non-violent silk breeding and harvesting. It is a very peaceful, non-violent way of harvesting silk and a real wonder of nature . Eri, Muga and tussar silks are examples of wild silk. Ahimsa mulberry is produced by allowing the moths to hatch the cocoons before harvesting. EVEN THOUGH IT’S A NATURAL PRODUCT CONVENTIONAL SILK IS NOT CRUELTY FREE. However, that means that the silkworm dies in the process. Ahimsa Silk Bamboo Silk Chanderi 100% Cotton Organic Cotton Dhaka Muslin Khadi Kota Doria Maheshwari Tussar Silk. But sometimes the hazards cause them to lose their eyes; so they need to be protected. The larva begins molting when the head turns darker and may molt about four times after which the body turns sli… He holds both a Patent (Application Number 217/MAS/2002) and a Trademark (Application Number 1495103, Class 24) for Ahimsa Silk from the Government of India. Why all eyes in the fashion industry are currently on khadi, Why organza Kanjeevaram saris need to be on your radar this summer. In contrast, the less humane process takes about 15 minutes. His company makes everything from clothing to baby linen to eye masks using this fabric. Due to the broken strands, less of the silk is usable for textile production, so Ahimsa silk costs more than conventional silk. The innovative entrepreneur has also been able to make jersey out of Ahimsa silk, which they now use to make T-shirts and lingerie. Ahimsa silk has a soft texture and hand feel and is as durable as regular silk. thriving in national as well as International markets. “There’s been dramatic increase in people identifying as vegans in the US, UK, Portugal and Australia, which is the fastest growing vegan market in the world,” he says. Even though the yarn originated in China in the Neolithic age, it has been popular in India for centuries (and until recently, India was the largest consumer of silk in the world). In the vast majority of cases, it's more complicated than it appears. 1 Answer +1 vote . Therefore, ahimsa mulberry silk is a spun silk, not a filament silk; making it very different in texture and lustre from 'typical' silk. The water footprint, carbon footprint, chemical footprint, and land footprint for silk is very small compared to other fibres . This is how we are spreading the concept of Ahimsa to the world,” he explains. 3. As much as we love this fine fabric, in the age of conscious fashion, it’s important to understand the production practices behind our choices. Who invented the Ahimsa silk? But there are silk saris that are produced without killing the silkworms – it is the Ahimsa Silk. The fabric produced by this method is of poor quality, more like wool. 2 views. Developed in the ancient the sericulture industry in India today boasts of the world’s second largest producer of silken fabric and fiber. To … This inflates the cost of nonviolent silk, which is priced at roughly 6,000 rupees (US$92) per kilogram—about twice the price of the regular kind. ← Prev Question Next Question → 0 votes . 1. One region famous for its Ahimsa Silk is Assam, located in northeast India. Unfortunately, the only way to keep the cocoon intact is to boil (soften) it with the silkworm moth still inside. Non-violent lifestyle proponents have more recently found peace silk to be in keeping with their way of life. Here the moths break out of the cocoon and are able to survive in the wild, leaving behind the silk. Since the cocoons are where the silk is, they wait for the moth to fly away and then start processing the empty cocoons to make the fabric. One fine day in 27th century BCE, the Empress was enjoying a cup of tea beneath the mulberry trees when a cocoon fell into her cup. The main qualities of ahimsa silk are derived from the ideals surrounding the concept of violence. It allows the completion of the metamorphosis of the silkworm to its moth stage, whereas most silk harvesting requires the silkworms to be killed in their cocoon stage. Kusuma Rajaiah, the founder of Ahimsa Silk. It was Mahatma Gandhi’s dream to produce silk without killing worms, but unf… This set him on a decade-long journey that ended in the production of Ahimsa silk; he created his first sample sarees in 1991 and then made Ahimsa silk a commercial product in 2001. 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