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HOW OUR PURE SILK IS PRODUCED

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HOW OUR PURE SILK IS PRODUCED

We've had a lot of questions asking the production of the silk at Eastern Weft, so we've put our heads together to collect all the facts about how we produce our silk.

Silk is widely regarded as the most beautiful of all textiles. Most variaties of silk, for example from Japan or Italy, use various refining methods to produce perfect silk strands. In Laos, the silk is pure, natural silk that is organically harvested, our silkworms are bred in the wild and not temperature controlled factories. The final product is bumpy, irregular threads and linen like in texture.
Silk is produced from cocoons spun by the silk worms. What the silk worm eats determines the texture of the fibre. Our silk worms are fed mostly on mulberry leaves which is the natural food source. Silk worms that are fed on mulberry leaves produce the strongest of all silk fibre. Once the silk worms have spun their cocoons they are collected and soaked in large pots of boiling water. The cocoons then unravel and the threads are hand reeled onto a spindle. Each cocoon produces around 1000m of thread but it takes up to 30 cocoons for one usable thread. Incidentally, the boiled silk worms are eaten - nothing goes to waste!

 Once all the silk has been reeled from the cocoons into yarn, it is ready for dyeing. The art of natural dyeing has existing for centuries and we are proud to continue this tradition. We always source local materials that are in season, working in harmony with the environment. Coconut husk, marigolds, indigo and flowers are among some of the natural materials we use, we do not use artificial dyes.

Once these dyes are collected, they are boiled in large pots and the silk threads are added. They are removed and spun onto small spools ready for weaving which are in turn woven into fabric.

All Eastern Weft silk products are all made from Laos organic silk and are available on our online shop.

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