Vegan Silk is one of the most used silk . The history of luxurious fabric starts in China. Anciently, it was used to cover the dead body of a child (in a child’s tomb). China ruled the silk industry for an overlong period. China’s silk became famous in this period. This material was reserved only for the emperor initially. This fabric eventually reached many places – Thailand, Korea, India, South Asia, and Europe.The process of making silk is called Sericulture, it involves various steps and is operated by numerous departments. Silk is made from a moth called Silkworm (Bombyx mori, the domestic moth).
Production of silk entirely depends on the moth which has been chosen. So healthy silkworms are selected for breeding. Then eggs are produced and taken care of until it is hatched. These hatched larvae are fed with mulberry Tree leaves. They grow and start to spin a cocoon around them by moving back and forth. The worm spins a double strand of fiber and constructs a symmetrical wall around itself. The wall is made up of fibroin which is held together by sericin (sericin is a soluble gum). Then it produces raw silk called – Bave. Now the life of the worm inside the cocoon is ended by the process of “stoving” – cocoons are heated in hot water. A certain number of cocoons are preserved so that they can be used for breeding. In the process of FILATURE – the cocoons are separated based on their size and color. The cocoons are processed to silk thread by loosening up the sericin. This gum facilitates the filaments to form silk thread. Then the cocoons are brushed and this is woven/knit into fabric/spun into yarn.
Types of Silk
There are various types of silk :
- Mulberry silk – well-known and widely used
- Sea silk – Is a rare and expensive type of silk
- Tussar silk – more textured, feels less soft
- Eri silk – has thermal properties (retain us cool in summer and warm in winter)
- Muga silk – is extremely durable and has a natural yellowish-golden color
- Art silk – synthetic fiber which resembles silk
- Here comes a new type of silk – “Peace silk” also known as ‘vegan silk’
Before everything let’s discuss Veganism
What is ‘Veganism ‘?
Veganism was founded in August 1944. Originally veganism was a modified term for vegetarians who do not use dairy products. There are four types of vegans:
- Ethical vegans
- Environmental vegans
- Health vegans
- Religious vegans
- Ethical vegans – they are totally against animal cruelty. These vegans don’t interrupt other organisms’ lives. They affirm that all organisms are equal. They also believe that all animals have the right to live freely.
- Environmental vegans – these people do concern about our environment too. They adopt a vegan diet also they believe that they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by following the vegan diet
- Health vegans – health vegans choose veganism because they care about themselves first. People who have lactase deficiency would choose a vegan diet. also, persons who are aware of the Bowel cancer caused due to the red meat eaten would choose veganism for their diet
- Religious vegans – Many Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists follow veganism due to their principle.
So basically, Veganism means abstaining from the use of all animal products. So, it can include Eating, dressing, cosmetics, and everything. So now when the topic of dressing comes, we are exploiting animals for our purpose. The Best examples can be Silk, Wool, Leather, etc.
Making of Vegan silk
There are two types of vegan silk :
- The one made from banana fiber
- Another is made from the cocoon itself
The Banana silk – A Vegan Silk
Banana is an anciently cultivated fruit all over the world. We can also call it domesticated fruit. India is the largest banana producer in the world followed by China. Usually, fruits are harvested and used but the stem is wasted which has a lot of fiber within. The Japanese are successful in processing the banana fibers into clothing. The fibers are obtained from the stem of the banana plant which is a complicated and manual process. The fibers are dried in sunlight. After completion of drying the obtained fiber will be white. This silk is completely easy to use because it feels good on the skin. It is also animal-free clothing that resembles real silk. These fibers also can be used for basket weaving and handbag making. Banana fiber has a high tendency for moisture absorption. So summer wear can be made out of this material. Most of the qualities of the silk resemble Banana fiber. This material is completely eco-friendly, affordable, and fire-resistant.
The Peace silk (Ahimsa silk)
This silk is made out of a cocoon. Then why is it named “the peace silk”? The answer is – we don’t kill the moth inside the cocoon. We leave the moth to go out of the cocoon so that we are using only the fibroin, not the moth’s life. It is completely free of animal exploitation. It also has very good human-friendly properties. The cocoon is carefully cut without affecting the moth, of course, it is done manually. As we are allowing the moth to grow completely, this silk-making process takes a longer time. Mostly wild moths (Bombyx mandarin, the wild moth) are used for this silk making.
Conclusion -Why Vegan silk?
We know that veganism is people’s choice. Empaths who cannot bear animal cruelty and self-lovers will choose veganism. In this way, we can keep this world out of tyranny and violence. Not only silk, in every term avoiding animal products will teach the next generation to be happy and content without harming others. Let us encourage people to be Human with human qualities. Let us encourage peace within ourselves and society.
