What Is Ahimsa Silk? Know Origin, Cultural And Religious Significance Of This 'Non-Violent' Variety

'Ahimsa' silk is a type where the silk is produced without harming or killing the silk worms

All About Ahimsa silk- Origin, Cultural And Religious Significance

Source : Getty

Ahimsa Silk, also known as peace silk or cruelty-free silk refers to any type of silk that is produced without harming or killing the silk worms. This is in contrast to conventional silk, whereby cocoons are steamed, boiled, or dried in the sun, killing the silk larvae inside. According to PETA, 3,000 silk worms are killed to produce one pound of silk; 10,000 silk worms are killed to produce one silk sari. The word 'ahimsa' itself derives from Sanskrit and translates as 'non-violent' and is an important ethical tenet of three major religions originating from the Subcontinent: Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism. It concerns doing no harm against any other living beings. 

 

What Let To The Production Of Ahimsa Silk?

The name itself describes to what led to its production and is a humane alternative to conventional silk production.

 

Talking about this, Fashion Designer & Celebrity Stylist Richa Ranawat said, "The need of ahimsa silk originated from concerns about the harm caused to silkworms during the silk production process, where silkworms are boiled alive to obtain their silk threads. Ahimsa silk allows the silkworm to complete its life cycle and emerge from the cocoon naturally, resulting in a non harmful method of silk extraction."

 

In addition, Debroopa Bhattacharrya, who is the founder of Ummaira Boutique said that it can be produced from any type of silk.

Describing the process in detail, she added, "In this method, silk cocoons are only harvested and processed after the moth has hatched from the cocoon. The moth secretes a liquid to dissolve a hole from which to hatch, breaking the long, continuous silk fibre into shorter staples. These shorter staples must be spun together; just as wool or cotton staples are spun into yarn. The high sheen and lustre of the silk are exchanged for a thicker and more textured cloth."

Origin, Religious And Cultural Significance Of Ahimsa Silk:

Kusuma Rajaiah, a 60-year-old government officer from Andhra Pradesh in India, holds the patent and trademark for Ahimsa Silk. He found that it was possible to create silk without killing the silkworms and began weaving ahimsa silk in 1990. In 2001 his company began marketing the silk and it continues to gain popularity both in India and abroad."

Ahimsa silk holds profound religious and cultural significance by embodying the principle of non-violence deeply rooted in Indian philosophy.

Ravi Gupta, Creative Director & Fashion Designer, Gargee Designer's said, "In the context of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism where respect for all living beings is a fundamental rule, Ahimsa silk aligns with ethical norms by ensuring silk extraction without harm to silkworms. It represents a conscious choice to honor the interconnectedness of all living things, promoting an ethical approach to textile production that respects the sanctity of life. By incorporating it into our practices, we weave a conscious thread of compassion, kindness, and respect for life into our everyday lives, fostering a harmonious blend of spirituality, culture, and ethical living."

Other Varieties Of Ahimsa Silk In Today's Time:

In modern times, the ethos of Ahimsa silk has transcended its regional origins by giving rise to diverse varieties crafted through ethical and sustainable practices.

"This has blossomed into a tapestry of compassionate silk that unfolds across India by showcasing wonderful varieties such as Tussar silk from Bhagalpur and Bihar, Eri from Assam, Meghalaya, and Karnataka, Mulberry from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir, and popular Muga silk, especially from Assam," said Ganesh Nair, Director of Operations of Mehar by Rhysley.

Talking in details about the regional varieties and the relevance of Ahimsa silk in today's time, Debroopa Bhattacharrya talked about the 4 main types of silk made commercially in India: mulberry, eri, tussar and balkal. 

1. Mulberry Silk:

Description: From the moth Bombyx mori which feeds on mulberry leaves, mulberry is a domesticated species of silk and accounts for around 90% of global silk production, with India being the world’s second largest producer. 

Is it non-violent? 

Both ahimsa and non-ahimsa mulberry silk are produced commercially.

• Ahimsa mulberry, called matka silk in India, is produced by allowing the moths to hatch the cocoons before harvesting. Therefore, matka silk is a spun silk, not a filament silk; making it very different in texture and lustre from 'typical' silk. 
• Non-ahimsa mulberry, which represents almost the entire global production and is usually made at a very large, commercial scale, is produced by boiling cocoons with the lava still inside. Single, continuous filaments are pulled off the cocoon to create very long fibres. A few of these fibres are twisted together and woven to create highly lustrous silk. 

2. Eri Silk:

Description: From the moths Samia ricini and Philosamia ricin, Eri silk, along with mulberry silk, is the only fully domesticated silk worm. The name "eri" is derived from the Assamese word "era", which means "castor", as the silkworm feeds on castor plants. 

Is it non-violent? 

All eri silk is ahimsa. Often, ahimsa is used synonymously with eri, though the two words refer to very different things. Due to the highly irregular, uneven spinning of the eri silk cocoon by the worm, it is not possible to produce filament silk by boiling and drawing out continuous, single threads (as it is commercially done with other silks). Cocoons are only harvested once the moth has hatched. For this reason, it is popular among Buddhist monks. 

3. Tussar Silk:

From the moth genus Antheraea, this is a wild silk that lives in the forests of north India. Other names include tussah, tushar, tassar, tussore, tasar, tussur, tusser and kosa. 

Is it non-violent? 

Both ahimsa and non-ahimsa tussar are produced commercially.

• Ahimsa tussar is produced by allowing the moths to hatch the cocoons before harvesting. 
• Non-ahimsa tussar, which represents most of India’s production, is produced by boiling cocoons with the moth still inside. Single, continuos filaments are pulled off the cocoon to create very long fibres. A few of these fibres are twisted together and woven to create lustrous silk. 

4. Balkal Silk:

Description: Produced from the stem of the tussar silk cocoon that holds it to the tree stem where the moths weave their cocoons, its a very rare silk produced only on a small scale and in India. 

Is it non-violent? 

All balkal silk is ahimsa. Because the silk is produced from the stem, not the cocoon. So, no silk worm is killed.