Encouraged and inspired by a recent (July / August 2007) visit to India to enjoy Holy ‘Guru Puja’ celebrations in New Delhi, Denise has felt confident about beginning collaborative eco-textile ventures with otherwise unemployed hand loom weaving communities in their village home lands of rural areas of India. These poverty stricken communities rarely have any education other than the inherited Mastery and wisdom of traditional skills including hand loom weaving as taught by their ancestors. The DBWT(U.K.) first collection of fabrics as a result of this collaborative interest focuses on ‘Wild' and 'Peace' Silks.
Hand loom Woven Wild and Peace Silk fabrics
The silk fabrics pictured here comprise of eri peace silk (from the eri silk worm whose ivory coloured cocoon is formed with an open end and therefore by-passing the interest of commercial silk producers – the cocoon cannot be reeled so there would be no advantage in cultivating the worm on the unethical mass commercial scale - the moth emerges from its cocoon in its preferred natural forest environment and flies freely to complete its natural life cycle). It is also known as peace silk or cruelty free silk since the silk worms are not harmed in the making of this variety of silk. Wild Muga silk is a crucial component of these designs.
Wild muga silk, the natural silk fibre of the muga silk worm which grows and feeds on its preferred diet of 'som' and 'soalu' in its indigenous forested environment and it is only cultivated and available in the state of Assam in India, no where else in the world is this variety of silk available.The muga moth cocoon is collected by indigenous human communities who then reel the cocoon by hand and then weave it into fine cloth. This silk is highly regarded as ‘The Golden Silk’. The more you wash it, the stronger it becomes and is naturally golden in colour (in its natural form ) .
Waste silk is gathered from the cocoons of various breeds of wild silk moths including eri and muga. Waste cocoon remnants are collected from the forest floor - the silk moths' natural indegenous environment - and combined with waste reclaimed from the reeling and spinning process of various breeds of wild silk. The waste is then hand spun into yarn before being woven in its undyed natural shades – a palette of dusk / sand through gold, biscuit and light milk chocolate which provides a textured, medium weight, uniquely multi and unpredictably shaded cloth.
Commercially reeled mulberry silk is also selected by the manufacturers for its desirable, long mono-filament strength and high sheen properties.
Manufacturers of DBWT(U.K.) collaborated wild silks are Master hand loom weavers and a much wider community who work from home in their ancestral villages in India. They have inherited the ancient skill of textile design and hand loom weaving from their forefathers. Most have no other formal education or opportunity of employment. Income generated by hand loom weaving is the critical source of monetary existence for the communities who gather the cocoons, the spinners / reelers of the cocoons, the communities who prepare the warp and set up the loom ready for the weaver to weave the cloth and finally the finisher to finish and cut the cloth. Administrative and office staff also play a crucial role in taking responsibility for sustaining and maintaining this ancient hand craft tradition, which fragiley survives despite the threat from modern power loom industries by presenting and promoting hopefully within 1c these hand loom woven, ecological textiles globally. The income generated from this ancient living textile tradition often supports each person involved in the process and their families including extended families and community in these poverty stricken, often rural areas.
Denise Bird feels very honoured to be involved with such an inspirational, socially responsible and ecological textile project.
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