Eco Tasar ~ About Silk

	Home
	About Us
	Silk
	Product Gallery
	Login
	Contact Us

About Silk

SILK

SILK - the Queen of Textiles, spells luxury, elegance, class and comfort. Mankind has always loved this shimmering fiber of unparalleled grandeur from the moment Chinese Empress Shilling Ti discovered it in her tea cup. It withstood many a daunting challenges from other natural and artificial fibers and yet, remained the undisputed Queen of Textiles since centuries. Exquisite qualities like the natural sheen, inherent affinity for dyes and vibrant colors, high absorbance, light weight, resilience and excellent drape etc. have made silk, the irresistible and inevitable companion of the eve, all over the world.

Geographically, Asia is the main producer of silk in the world and produces over 95 % of the total global output.

TYPES OF SILK

There are four major types of silk of commercial importance, obtained from different species of silkworms which in turn feed on a number of food plants. These are: Mulberry, Tasar, Muga, Eri.

Except mulberry, other varieties of silks are generally termed as non-mulberry silks. India has the unique distinction of producing all these commercial varieties of silk.

Mulberry: The bulk of the commercial silk produced in the world comes from this variety and often silk generally refers to mulberry silk. Mulberry silk comes from the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. which solely feeds on the leaves of mulberry plant. These silkworms are completely domesticated and reared indoors.

Tasar: Tasar (Tussah) is copperish color, coarse silk mainly used for furnishings and interiors. It is less lustrous than mulberry silk, but has its own feel and appeal. Tasar silk is generated by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which mainly thrive on the food plants Asan and Arjun. The rearing are conducted in nature on the trees in the open. In India, culture is the main stay for many a tribal community in India.

Oak Tasar: It is a finer variety of tasar generated by the silkworm, Antheraea proyeli J. in India which feed on natural food plants of oak, found in abundance in the sub-Himalayan belt of India covering the states of Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir. China is the major producer of oak tasar in the world and this comes from another silkworm which is known as Antheraea pernyi.

Eri: Also known as Endi or Errandi, Eri is a multivoltine silk spun from open-ended cocoons, unlike other varieties of silk. Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. Ericulture is a household activity practiced mainly for protein rich pupae, a delicacy for the tribal. Resultantly, the eri cocoons are open-mouthed and are spun.

Muga: This golden yellow color silk is prerogative  of India and the pride of Assam state. It is obtained from semi-domesticated multivoltine silkworm, Antheraea assamensis. These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of Som and Soalu plants and are reared on trees similar to that of tasar. Muga culture is specific to the state of Assam and an integral part of the tradition and culture of that state. The muga silk, a high value product is used in products like saris, mekhalas, chaddars, etc.

SILK AND INDIAN WEAVING

Silk has been intermingled with the life and culture of the Indians. Though India is producing all varieties of Silk Stole scarves and other materials.

The artistic and aesthetic sense of Indian weaver is not content with striking colors they choose for the fabric, but lies in the their mastery over the creation of floral designs, beautiful texture, fine geometry and durability of such work.

AHIMSA SILK (NON-VIOLENCE SILK)

In the process of making Ahimsa silk, silk products are manufactured without killing the large numbers of silkworms in contrast to the traditional process. Silk made by this method is termed as Ahimsa silk. In India, ahimsa silk is produced in many parts, The process of silk-culture or sericulture is one in which silk products are produced by boiling the pupae, thereby, killing them to obtain their cocoons that are filled with silk. For instance, one gram of silk is produced by killing nearly 15 silkworms and 1,500 silkworms are sacrificed for a mere meter of silk cloth.