Guest guest Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Dear colleagues, It was recently brought to my attention that female silkmoths are crushed alive in the production of Ahimsa silk just like in the production of normal pure silk. Could someone comment on this and let me know if there is a cruelty free method of producing silk. I have attached some information on Ahimsa silk for your perusal. Regards, http://www.ahimsasilks.com/ *ABOUT US .................. * ** *Kusuma. Rajaiah, basically a Technocrat in Handloom Technology and having 25 years practical experience in this industry is aware of all these facts and struggled for several years to create an alternative silk fabric where there is no killing, no cruelty and at the same time the fabric value is totally protected. That struggle paved the way to invent Ahimsa silk. * *MALBURY PLANTATION* *FEEDING OF MULBURY LEAVES TO THE SILK WORMS* *Kusuma. Rajaiah conducted research in the field and invented the technique of getting silk yarn from cocoons without killing the silk worms, for the first time in the World in the year 1991. After prolonged research the Ahimsa silk is made marketable in the year 2001. In our production process child and forced labor are not engaged and there is no discrimination on the basis of sex * *COCOONS* *SILK WORMS* ** *The Hindi word " ahimsa " means Non-violence. It is used to describe this innovation because the fabric is manufactured in a process where silkworms are not killed. For this reason, the product is also known as peace silk. Ahimsa silk is extracted after the silkworm has completed metamorphosis and emerged from the cocoon. Considering the increased awareness of animal protectionism around the world. * *SILK MOTH* *PIERCED COCOONS* *Kusuma Rajaiah, a senior technical assistant with a government organization in India, is tasked with the responsibility of developing ahimsa silk into a viable commercial product. **There are many types of silkworms, but Bombyx mori is mainly used for commercial cultivation. The silkworms are placed in bamboo baskets and fed mulberry leaves. As they consume the leaves, the insects exude viscous fluids through head glands. These substances are fibroin (raw silk) and sericin (bonding gum). The substances harden upon contact with air, forming the basic silk filament, which is a combination of two fibers held together by the gum. The silkworm oozes out the fibroin continuously for about 1,000 yards, forming an oval nest or cocoon. But as the worm is still alive inside the cocoon, this poses a problem for devotees who respect all living things big and small. * *AHIMSA SILK YARN* *HANDLOOM WEAVING* *In the production of regular silk, the cocoons are immersed in boiling water to kill the worms and spool the silk yarn. With ahimsa silk, however, cocoons are left alone for seven to 10 days. Once the worms mature, they are allowed to pierce the cocoons and fly away as moths. Only then does the manufacture of peace silk begin. Each cocoon is checked individually to ensure that the moth has escaped before the silk thread is spun. **Spinning takes around two months and weaving another month. In other words, shipments can be ready three months after the moths escape. We can produce up to 2,000 meters per month. Ahimsa silk is promoted as having the popular properties of regular silk. Even though it is slightly less lustrous, it is even softer to the touch. Currently, it remains a niche product due to its higher price range. While normal silk fabric of the 8gsm vary is price with that ahimsa of the same quality. " People are becoming more environmentally aware and compassionate to animals. " Though ahimsa silk may not replace regular silk, we are confident it will be adopted by those who are concerned about animals, " .* *The news written in Daily Star newspaper in USA.Fyfe - Yost** **ONEONTA — Jenifer Yost and David Fyfe were married in an outdoor ceremony June 20. The bride wore an emerald green dress made of ahimsa silk, a fabric made in India in an ecologically friendly and nonviolent manner. The groom wore a matching tie of the same material. * ** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Hi Shubroto, This is an interesting article. I had a doubt which i would appreciate if you could clear. I was under the impression that the reason for boiling and not waiting for them to take wings is so that the strands are not cut when the moth tries to break free. So how does it work here? Thanks, Pablo. On 2/29/08, wrote: > > Dear colleagues, > It was recently brought to my attention that > female > silkmoths are crushed alive in the production of Ahimsa silk just like in > the production of normal pure silk. Could someone comment on this and let > me > know if there is a cruelty free method of producing silk. I have attached > some information on Ahimsa silk for your perusal. > Regards, > > > http://www.ahimsasilks.com/ > *ABOUT US .................. * ** > > *Kusuma. Rajaiah, basically a Technocrat in Handloom Technology and having > 25 years practical experience in this industry is aware of all these facts > and struggled for several years to create an alternative silk fabric where > there is no killing, no cruelty and at the same time the fabric value is > totally protected. That struggle paved the way to invent Ahimsa silk. * > *MALBURY PLANTATION* > *FEEDING OF MULBURY LEAVES TO THE SILK WORMS* > > *Kusuma. Rajaiah conducted research in the field and invented the > technique > of getting silk yarn from cocoons without killing the silk worms, for the > first time in the World in the year 1991. After prolonged research the > Ahimsa silk is made marketable in the year 2001. > In our production process child and forced labor are not engaged and there > is no discrimination on the basis of sex > * > *COCOONS* > *SILK WORMS* > > ** > > *The Hindi word " ahimsa " means Non-violence. It is used to describe this > innovation because the fabric is manufactured in a process where silkworms > are not killed. For this reason, the product is also known as peace silk. > Ahimsa silk is extracted after the silkworm has completed metamorphosis > and > emerged from the cocoon. Considering the increased awareness of animal > protectionism around the world. * > *SILK MOTH* > *PIERCED COCOONS* > > *Kusuma Rajaiah, a senior technical assistant with a government > organization > in India, is tasked with the responsibility of developing ahimsa silk into > a > viable commercial product. > **There are many types of silkworms, but Bombyx mori is mainly used for > commercial cultivation. The silkworms are placed in bamboo baskets and fed > mulberry leaves. As they consume the leaves, the insects exude viscous > fluids through head glands. These substances are fibroin (raw silk) and > sericin (bonding gum). The substances harden upon contact with air, > forming > the basic silk filament, which is a combination of two fibers held > together > by the gum. The silkworm oozes out the fibroin continuously for about > 1,000 > yards, forming an oval nest or cocoon. But as the worm is still alive > inside > the cocoon, this poses a problem for devotees who respect all living > things > big and small. * > *AHIMSA SILK YARN* > *HANDLOOM WEAVING* > > *In the production of regular silk, the cocoons are immersed in boiling > water to kill the worms and spool the silk yarn. With ahimsa silk, > however, > cocoons are left alone for seven to 10 days. Once the worms mature, they > are > allowed to pierce the cocoons and fly away as moths. Only then does the > manufacture of peace silk begin. Each cocoon is checked individually to > ensure that the moth has escaped before the silk thread is spun. > **Spinning takes around two months and weaving another month. In other > words, shipments can be ready three months after the moths escape. We can > produce up to 2,000 meters per month. Ahimsa silk is promoted as having > the > popular properties of regular silk. Even though it is slightly less > lustrous, it is even softer to the touch. Currently, it remains a niche > product due to its higher price range. While normal silk fabric of the > 8gsm > vary is price with that ahimsa of the same quality. " People are becoming > more environmentally aware and compassionate to animals. " Though ahimsa > silk > may not replace regular silk, we are confident it will be adopted by those > who are concerned about animals, " .* > > *The news written in Daily Star newspaper in USA.Fyfe - Yost** **ONEONTA — > Jenifer Yost and David Fyfe were married in an outdoor ceremony June 20. > The > bride wore an emerald green dress made of ahimsa silk, a fabric made in > India in an ecologically friendly and nonviolent manner. The groom wore a > matching tie of the same material. * > > ** > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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