SMALL THINGS OF GREAT INDIAN SILK

Dilip Barooah

Founder and CEO

Fabric Plus Pvt. Limited, India

Small things of Great Indian Silk

Foundation for any greatness arises out of small things that remain humbly silent. Small is beautiful that we all acknowledge. Indian silk industry, although not the largest in the world, is most wanted silk. The gap between the largest producing country (China) and the second largest silk producing country (India) stands at around 65%. China leads at 146,000 metric tons of silk produced annually as compared to India’s at 28,708 metric tons in annual silk production. The huge gap of 117,292 MT makes India literally very small. Despite the fact India’s silk is small, they are most wanted, most versatile and despite more expensive.

There is always a gap between silk production and demand that necessitates imports. However, India plans to attain self-reliance in raw silk and plans to bring imports to zero level by 2020. India enjoys a unique global position in terms of production of all commercially useful varieties (Mulberry, Eri, Tassar and Muga) of silk. In FY 2015-16, top ten importers of Indian silk and silk products were US (US$ 21.59 million), UK (US$ 13.47 million), China (US$ 13.27 million), UAE (US$ 8.28 million), Germany (US$ 5.3 million), Italy (US$ 5.23 million), Canada (US$ 3.66 million), France (US$ 3.14 million), Singapore (US$ 3.11 million), and Hong Kong (US$ 2.25 million). (Ref. ISEPC)

This article attempts to introspect the small things behind the greatness of Indian silk.

Textures of life in Indian silk and varieties:

Philosophically, life is full of textures of good and bad, happiness and unhappiness, sweet and sour, smooth and rough, rowing and rafting and so on. Monotony is not sustainable without newness. Indian silk offers all that resembles life’s texture full journey. It is available from the finest to the heaviest textures, applicable to fashion to apparel to home fashion. India enjoys a unique global position in terms of production of all commercially useful varieties of silk such as Mulberry, Eri, Tassar and Muga.. The wide range ensures optimum utilization of the precious natural resources, while balancing the ecology.

Indian silk is authentic:

Dictionary meaning of Authenticity concerns the truthfulness of origins, attributes, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions, the quality of being real or true. Indian silk carries authenticity. In this conscious world being genuine counts the most. Research shows that 50.5% of millennials show extreme loyalty to their favorite brands that have authentic value proposition. Indian silk is authentically Indian silk, it may not be necessarily perfect or safe but it is real, genuine and it has transparency across the entire value chain. Each product of Indian silk has an authentic story behind it. Most of the Indian silk customers feel the genuineness of the product’s value propositions rather than the superficialities inside the product. 

Indian silk can be Customized with Minimum order quantity (MOQ):

Indian silk can be purchased with customized minimum order quantity and customized price tags. Thanks to the Handlooms, craftsmanship and varieties of silk available. Customized services are specialty of Indian Silk business. One can buy 1 meter to 100,000 meters or 1 piece to 100,000 pieces of made-ups, which comforts a startup boutique to a big importing establishment.

Indian silk has greater Social impact:

Giving back to the society, doing right things for the right reasons add value to the product. With sericulture activities spread across 52,360 villages, it provides employment to over 7.9 million people in the country.

About 90% of India's silk products are made on handlooms, using age-old to contemporary designs and styles distinctive to different geographical locations. Government is continuously promoting silk and handloom activities for the social benefit, which is well known globally.

Cone Communications’ recent Holiday Trend Survey that states that 71% of Americans would purchase a product that supports a cause over one that does not; It is not a surprise that the U.S. tops the list of Indian silk import.

Ahimsha silk from the land of Mahatma

Ahimsa is a word that derives from the Sanskrit language and translates as non-violence.

With Gandhi, the notion of nonviolence attained a special status. He not only theorized on it, he adopted nonviolence as a philosophy and an ideal way of life. He made us understand that the philosophy of nonviolence is not a weapon of the weak; it is a weapon, which can be tried by all.
Nonviolence was not Gandhi’s invention. He is however called the father of nonviolence because according to Mark Shepard, “He raised nonviolent action to a level never before achieved.”  (M. SHEPARD, Mahatma Gandhi and his Myths, Civil Disobedience, Nonviolence and Satyagraha in the Real World, Los Angeles)

Non-violent silk is unique to India with about 98% of the world’s only naturally occurring Ahimsha silk, known as Eri silk is produced.

This originally wild silkmoth in India, the Eri Silkmoth (Samia ricini) is now fully domesticated and used mainly in the north eastern parts of the country.

Eri silk cocoons cannot be reeled because the cocoons are collected only after the moth emerges out, leaving a hole in the cocoon, that breaks the continuity of the silk filament. The cocoons are therefore subjected to spinning

Eri silk fabric is becoming very popular amongst those who practice absolute non-violence and do not use any product obtained by killing any living creature. Budhist monks in India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Japan prefer this silk due to its cruelty-free process. Eri silk fabrics are considered as “Holy fabric”; used for many holistic purpose; because it protects the body from cold as well hot climate, from skin allergy, skin disease, infection etc.

Eri silk has excellent thermal insulating property which is rare in any other textiles. Its blends with wool, cashmere, bamboo, linen, ramie etc. Enhances its properties to become the best natural textiles for both apparel and non-apparel application. Its high moisture regaincapacity, soft feel properties and subtle but elegance look gives a holistic “feel good factor” & “peace factor” that is rare to any other textiles of the world

Muga silk – monopoly:

Muga is one of the rarest magic silk in the world, produced only in Assam, India and nowhere else in the world. This queen of silk spells luxury, elegance, sophistication, class, comfort and timelessness. It is so sensitive that it cannot survive even with the smallest level of pollution in the atmosphere. It is so much pure and authentic, rich and royal. In the ancient time Muga silk could be used only by the royal family.

Muga Silk of Assam has already been registered as the Geographical Indication (GI) of Assam under Rules of Intellectual Property Rights of Govt. of India.

This naturally brilliant golden yellow coloured 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 silk is the most expensive amongst all the silk and used primarily for producing sarees, mekhalas, chaddars etc. for the high-end market. Production of muga silk is only about 125 MT

Muga silk is organic, natural, resilient and strongest natural fibre. A luxurious fabric known for its sheer brilliant natural luster is a staple of international trade for this land. Its value and demand in the silk world market is well known.

Indian silk reflects crafts and craftsmanship.

Crafts are high in demand all over the world. Silk sarees are among the living examples of the excellent craftsmanship of the handloom weavers of the country. Commoditization and commercialization are still a long way. Most of the products are unique some way or other. It is very rare to find commoditized quality in Indian silk. The fusion of craftsmanship fascinates fashion designers of the world. They find it is as vast as an encyclopedia of art, craft, ethnicity and tradition, that enables them to contemporize and offer their products and service globally. Because, the crafts in India are passion (more than business), they are cost effective and price friendly. It is only Indian silk that can have blends of all the crafts in one piece of product, with the combination of woven, hand embroidered, printed, tie and dyed, indigo dyed designs.

Sustainable Indian silk and its low impact to the earth – Indian handloom

Growing consumer awareness regarding social and environmental impacts of fast-fashion products has led to create a new marketplace for sustainable and ethical products. Fast-fashion production cycle, at times cannot afford to comply with the norms associated with over exploitation of resources, waste generation, environmental pollution and unethical labour conditions etc. Indian silk in conjunction with the handloom and fair-trade practices offers such sustainability, which is soon changing from an option to a necessity.

Communication skill:

Indian silk is still in the craft stage that has high level of dependency on how efficiently B2C or B2B communicate for quality, design and other aspects of business.  Although India has 122 major languages and 1599 other languages, communication in India is not a challenge. The number of Indian people using internet exceeds the entire population of the U.S.  Proficiency over English is an important factor of outsourcing works to India.

Conclusion:

Commoditization, fast fashion is still not a part of value propositions of Indian silk. Although the technology induction is one of the thrust areas of Indian silk industry to make it sustainable, the focus will remain in enrichment of the above-mentioned value propositions along with more appropriate ones to remain as the most wanted silk silk hub in the world.