AN OLD SILK YARN
The origin of silk is clouded in legend - it finds mention in ancient Sanskrit literature, but in the popular Chinese legend written by Confucious, the unravelling of the silk secret is attributed to the 14 year old Empress Leizu - who in 2700 BC, while sitting under a mulberry tree, unwound a fine & glistening thread from a softened cocoon, that had dropped into her hot cup of tea. The study of the silk moth she initiates, becomes the basis of sericulture.
Archaeologists have confirmed that silk has been around, dating back hundreds of years before it’s alleged discovery - the cultivation of mulberry leaves, tending of silkworms, gathering of threads from their cocoons and the weaving of silk - first appears in the archaeological record of ancient China in 3600 BC. Excavations at Hemudu have revealed Neolithic tools for weaving and silk gauze. The earliest known examples of woven silk are from the site of Qianshanyang in China dated to 2700 BC.
For years they cultivated mulberry silk, but kept the knowledge of sericulture a secret. The desire for this fabric from other parts of the world led to the formation of the greatest trade route in history. The Silk Road was a network of ancient trade routes, formally established in 130 BC by the Han dynasty. Marco Polo travelled on these routes & recorded the significant impact - of the goods, ideas, innovations and religions, that have traveled up and down, connecting East Asia to Europe, India & Africa.
The Indian epics - the Veda’s, the Ramayana & the Mahabharata, all refer to silk. Until recently western historians believed, that silk & sericulture was brought overland from China to India around 140 BC. But a new study of artefacts recovered at Harappa and from the Chanhu-daro collection curated at the Museum of Fine arts Boston, have revealed the presence of silk in the Indus Valley - using the Antheraea moth to produce wild silk threads for weaving. This pushes back the earliest date of silk outside of China by a millennium and is roughly contemporaneous with the earliest evidence for silk from within China. By the 2nd century India was shipping its own raw silk and silk cloth to Persia.
This map indicates trading routes used around the 1st century CE centred on the Silk Road. The routes remain valid for the period 500 BC to 500 CE.
The fabric is highly valued for its exquisite natural lustre, luxurious feel and excellent drape. Being one of the strongest natural fibres, it retains its shape well and can take on many different appearances - a raw silk fabric may be thick and coarse, yet the further refined the silk and the thinner the yarn, the more it resembles the look and feel we perceive as silky. It is resilient and light weight, yet stronger than a comparable filament of steel. Silk possesses an inherent affinity for colours and work well with natural dyes - but can also be dyed and printed in rich colours. Silk fabrics have poor heat conduction, making them cooler in summer and warm in winter. They exhibit a low static current generation which leads to improved comfort during usage.
Silk is a natural fiber produced by insects as a material for their nests and cocoons. There are several types of insects that produce silk, including silkworms (the most common type of silk), beetles, honey bees, bumble bees, hornets, weaver ants, and many more. The primary type of silk is a protein fiber made from the saliva of a moth. Early in a silkworm's lifecycle - as a larvae, it spins silk in one unbroken single thread to create a cocoon, a protective covering for itself as it is transformed into a moth. The process of harvesting these cocoons for silk is called sericulture. This is followed by reeling, where cocoons are unraveled and become one continuous string. Multiple long silk strands are then entwined to create a silk yarn. Eventually, that silk yarn is woven into a fabric for commercial use. A variety of silks are produced from different strains of the silkworm, for a manifold range of applications. Silk fiber is also woven along with other fibers to manufacture blended fabrics. The sector has a diverse value chain spread across fiber, fashion apparel, readymade garments, traditional Indian garments, bedding, furnishings and upholstery, accessories, wall-hangings to carpets & rugs.
India is the worlds largest consumer of silk and the second largest producer of silk on the globe. The textile industry is the second largest provider of employment in India. The silk textile industry in India, has in recent decades, been strengthened by growing demand in both the domestic & export sectors. Today the industry is facing challenges due to sluggish demand, cheap imports are hurting the domestic industry and exports have suffered due to preferential tariff treatments towards some neighbouring countries.
Silk is a natural protein fiber produced by the larvae of a moth. These silkworms feed on the selected food plants and spin cocoons as a 'protective shell'. Silkworm has four stages in its life cycle, i.e. egg, silkworm, pupa and moth. Intervention to this lifecycle at the cocoon stage, is done to obtain silk, a continuous filament of commercial importance, used in weaving of the fabric. Silk is a natural fiber produced by insects as a material for their nests and cocoons. There are several types of insects that produce silk, including silkworms (the most common type of silk), beetles, honey bees, bumble bees, hornets, weaver ants, and many more.
After they have consumed enough, the caterpillars begin making their cocoon. The cocoons are made from single continuous filaments of silk produced by the salivary glands. The finished cocoons are hard and compact. They are harvested by cutting their stems from the trees, before being sent for reeling. One filament from one cocoon can measure between a 1,000 and 2,000 feet.
They are soaked and steamed until each cocoons single unbroken filament can be unravelled. The filaments are so fine that several cocoons must be reeled together to make one thread. The tasar silkworms are grown only in the wild. So they are cultivated in places where their host plants are available. Cultivation in India is widespread over many states with a larger concentration in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh and Bihar.
India’s wild silk moth species must be partially reared outdoors as they require access to a variety of trees in which to live, eat and spin their cocoons. The eggs are kept indoors for protection, until they hatch. The caterpillars are fed on handpicked leaves till they are big enough to be transferred outdoors.
The caterpillars eat constantly, growing to over 12 times their original size in around 30 days. During this period they must be regularly moved between trees ensuring access to fresh leaves. They also need to be protected from predators.
After they have consumed enough, the caterpillars begin making their cocoon. The cocoons are made from single continuous filaments of silk produced by the salivary glands. The finished cocoons are hard and compact. They are harvested by cutting their stems from the trees, before being sent for reeling.
They are soaked and steamed until each cocoons single unbroken filament can be unravelled. The filaments are so fine that several cocoons must be reeled together to make one thread. The tasar silkworms are grown only in the wild. So they are cultivated in places where their host plants are available. Cultivation in India is widespread over many states with a larger concentration in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh and Bihar.
Tasar Moth, Antheraea mylitta D. Life cycle of the tussar silkworm, consists of four stages which include egg, larva, pupa and adult.
A cocoon is an egg-shaped casing of a continuous long silk filament spun by the silkworm round itself as a protective shell.
The mature larvae spin cocoons which are hard. In these insects the colour of the silk excreted differs in various strains. They can exhibit colour polymorphism (two colours occur in the same species). Colours may also vary according to the types of plant leaves they have been fed on. Indian strains generally, produce variations, of either white, grey's, soft reddish and golden colours.
One can also differentiate between the strains by the physical characteristics of shape, size, weight and compactness of the cocoons.
Before being used the cocoons are sorted for issues, like staining, irregular shapes, being flossy or having thin ends.
The cocoons are then cooked in an earthen pot with sodium carbonate solution for 4-6 hours. The boiled cocoons are reeled in a semi moist condition.
Silk can be made from a variety of different silkworm, spun out of different stages of the cocoon and different waste portions of the cocoon and all carry unique qualities & features that make them the perfect fit for specific uses.
India has all four types of natural silk which are commercially known and produced in the world. Among them Mulberry silk contributes as much as 90 per cent of the world's yield. Three other commercially important types fall into the category of non-mulberry silks namely: Eri silk, Tasar silk, and Muga silk.
Silk production is a complex and time-consuming process. Each of the silkworm species is specific in its feeding habits and cultivation of Silkworm food plants is an agricultural activity. Silkworms and cocoons require constant care & attention and processing cocoons into thread is a demanding task.
The Indian tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta is a natural fauna of tropical India. The tussar silkworms are grown only in the wild. The larvae can eat leaves of several host plants like Arjun, Asan, Ber, Sal, Jam, Sidha, etc. They are cultivated in places where their host plants are available which are in the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh. and West Bengal.
The mature larvae spin cocoons which are hard with different colours according to the types of plant leaves they fed. Some are light green, others are yellow, and some are grey and others almost white.
Tussar cocoons are reported to be the largest among all the silk-producing insects in the world. The tasar cocoon has a stalk (peduncle) which helps in fixing the cocoon with the twig of host plant.
Tussar is also known as 'Kosa' Silk in Sanskrit.
Bombyx mori silkworms are domesticated silkworms. They feed on mulberry leaves only and the silk produced by them is the finest of them all. The silk has an extraordinaire sheen and has the signature ‘silky’ texture, silk is known for. It is also the most common of silk fabric and currently dominates the world silk market with more than 80 per cent share. It is the highest quality of silk available in the market for purchase. The history of mulberry silk can be traced back to Indus Valley Civilisation, where it was used to craft costumes of the royal family. The original white colour of the mulberry silk is due to the feeding of the host white mulberry plant.
India is the second-largest manufacturer of mulberry silk after China. The major mulberry silk producing states in India are West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu.
The silkworms are bred indoors and remain on the strict diet of white mulberry trees.
Muga silk is produced only in Assam and nowhere else. This makes this silk yarn one of the most coveted and rarest silks in the world. The word, ‘Muga’ means ‘golden yellow’ in Assamese, referring to its original colour. The origin of the Muga silk can be traced back to the times of Ahom rulers. The rulers patronized this silk and preferred to wear clothes made from muga silk fibres only. It is one of the most expensive too! The silkworm, Antheraeaassamensis is semi-cultivated. It is believed that the silkworm can’t even tolerate the slightest of pollution level and is extremely sensitive to climate changes.
Muga silk is known for its resilience. Besides being organic and natural, it is known for its longevity and often is a part of an heirloom. The lustre of the silk increases with the age and the silk gets finer, like old wine. The muga silk is preferred in its natural yellow colour but it is compatible with dyes and embroidery threads. Muga silk can be ironed damp for a smooth feel or can be worn with wrinkles and creases with equal panache.
Eri silk is produced by the silkworm species called Philosamiaricini. The silkworms are found in Northeast India and in some parts of Japan and China. The term, ‘Eri’ comes from the Assamese word, ‘Era,’ which means castor or arandi in the local language, referring to their feeding on castor oil plant leaves. Besides Bombyx Mori, this is the only silkworm species that is completely domesticated.
In China, the Eri silkworms feed on a different host plant called Borkesseu, Ailanthus excelsa and the silk thus produced is called Ailanthus silk.
The texture of this silk is woolly and the original colour of the silk is white. When the eri silk is processed without killing the silkworms, it is called the silk of peace, referring to its white colour. In India, it is commercially sold as ‘Ahimsa Silk’ as the silk fabrics are processed when the moths have left the cocoon.
This is obtained mostly from pierced, cut, flimsy, insect damaged and double cocoons. The cooking process for the production of ghicha yarn is the same as for the reeled yarn produced from good cocoons. Cooked tassar cocoons which are unreelable owing to opening of the peduncle end or a hard shell are also used to produce the hand-drawn coarse yarn called ‘ghicha’. Here a bunch of thread is pulled out by hand from one or two cocoons at a time and reeled on an earthen pot. This gives a coarse variety of untwisted thread of 4s to 6s. Finer ghicha as high as 30s can also be spun. Ghicha yarn is used as weft for the production of various union fabrics in combination with reeled silk or Katia or even with cotton.
Katia yarn is obtained from the tasar silk waste left after reeling, including floss. It is normally spun on charkhas or spinning wheels with a count of 15s to 30s. The yarn is given sufficient twist and is strong enough to be suitably used for warp. Katia yarn is mainly used for the production of wrappers and other thicker varieties of dress material.
Balkal is a thick coarse yarn spun from tasar peduncles. The peduncles prior to spinning are subjected to cooking and opening operations. Peduncles are boiled in soap and soda solution followed by steaming. After washing and drying, they are beaten-up for opening and subsequently carded and finally spun into thick yarn upto about 10s by either a spinning wheel or Ambar charkha. The degumming loss of the peduncles of different races of tasar cocoons is shown in Balkal yarn is normally used as weft in combination with reeled silk for the production of union fabrics.
This yarn is spun from uncleaned and unopened tasar waste.
Before making cocoon, the larva joins it with the help of a stem like structure. This structure also contains filaments. However, this is quite stiff. It has to be soaked and boiled in a soft solution and beaten with wooden hammer till it becomes soft. Then it is reeled on thigh in the form of yarn and out of which the fabric is made which is characterized by its typical softness. However, this yarn is costly as a large number of stems are needed to make the fabric.
This yarn is spun from uncleaned and unopened tasar waste.
Internet
Books & Journals
Videos & Films
Photos & Artworks