Report on Processing Industry in India

Sanganna Hipparagi ,Scientist-D
Central Silk Technological Research Institute

Central Silk Board , 

Bangalore Karnataka

Ministry of Textiles, 

Government Of India

 saamhisir@gmail.com

All most all the silk consumed in the country is processed in yarn or fabric form. Processing is meanly carried out to enhance esthetic properties silk fabrics. In India production design, colors and weaving techniques are cluster specific or region specific. In small places, artisan works in highly traditional way in selection and preparation colors and application method.

In broader way on the side of the business or quantity of material processed, we can classify the India processing industry as below:

(1) Tiny are small scale industry (catering to handloom sector)

(2) Medium scale industry (catering to handloom sector and power loom sector)

(3) Large scale industry (catering to export needs)

Further classification can be done on the basis of material processed in the units

(1) fiber degumming units

(2) yarn processing units

(3) fabric dyeing units

(4) fabric printing units

(5) fabric finishing units

(6) composite units (degumming ,dyeing, printing ,finishing is done under one roof)

Processing in Traditional Cluster Art

(1)Hand Brush Painting (kalam kari art)

Here natural dyes are used to paint traditional pictures mainly temple art and floral designs silk, cotton and silk union fabric are used , wall painting , sarees and dress material art the products.

(2)Hand Block printing of Bagh Bluster

In this cluster usually printing is done using wooden blocks. Red and black colors are commonly used in printing. Process is very slow, takes 15 to 20 days to complete one cycle includes process of preparation of gray fabric , natural color extraction curing, river washing. There are fast colors.

(3)Batik Printing

Here wax resist techniques are used, brush and blacks are used to print wax, then fabric is subjected to cold dyeing. Process will repeated with increase in number of colors , cotton & silk blends are printed by this method.

(4) Mud-Resist Printing

Special type of mud and gum paste is prepared to print with wooden blocks on fabric, after printing fabric will be dipped in indigo dye bath, by oxidation method color is fixed to the fabric.

In printing cluster all the three styles like direct, discharge and resist style are practiced by different groups depending on type of fabric and design and end use. Animal, floral and ethnic design are printed on the fabric.

（5）Tie and dye technique

Here yarn or fiber are tied with thread to miss the contact with color as per the design, process will be repeated with NO. of colors increased in the design, beautiful shapes and designs are made on silk fabric using this method.

Tiny units caters to daily needs of handloom weavers medium size units supply dyed yarn to handloom / power loom weavers. Large size units are caters to export houses, using. These units use modern machines for processing.

In present condition major focus is given to

(1) Saving of water during processing by reducing the material to liquor ratio.

(2) Usage of eco-friendly dyes and chemicals

(3) Treatment of waste water (effluent)

(4) Meeting the quality norms.

Machine and equipments

In small scale industry, mostly tubs of various size and shape are in used. These units mainly deal with raw silk (twisted) warp and weft quality yarn for handloom sector.

In medium scale units arm dyeing / spray machines of different capacity from 5 kg to 60 kg are used for dyeing. These units also equipped with hydro-extractors, color, matching cabinet etc. usually dupion yarn , warp and weft quality raw silk is processed in this units.

Fabric processing units are mainly using winch or jiggers of various capacity for degumming and dyeing of light and medium fabrics.

Export oriented units are equipped with all type of machines like spray dyeing for yarn winch and jigger machines for fabrics processing. Few units are having stentering machine for finishing of fabrics.

As far as printing is concerned block printing units are less equipped and screen printing units contain wax or indirect steam tables, winch for dyeing, steam-agers for color fixing, felt or deco-machine for final finish.

Swot analysis of the silk processing industry

Strength

(1) as silk is having lots of demand in local market, processing industry will be an sustainable enterprise.

(2) Indian processing industry can handle small lots of below one kg and single piece fabric for processing it will meet demand of singe person.

(3)  Different art form practiced in dyeing and printing industry are well accepted abroad.

Weakness

1) Lots of water consumption.

2) Small scale Industries are unable to handle bigger lots.

3) Non availability of skill labor to handle specific cluster art.

Opportunity

As local market is expanding, more scope for new Industry

Scope for natural dyeing & printing is abundant.

Treat

Non availability of skill worker.

Lots of competition among existing units.

Future of processing industry

Any type of industry needs a sustainable growth for long run and there is need far adoption of modern technology to achieve higher quality standards. There is urgent need for adoption of cutting edge technology in future.

Eco-friendly degumming, recycling of effluent water, optimal usage of solar energy are essential. Innovative designs and modern technology for traditional art form and adoption of state of art in finishing technology are future requirement.

Washable silks are future demand, industry should involve seriously achieving the customers requirements on priority basis.

As processing is non productive area maximum care should be given to enhance the asthmatic values silk without affecting strength and luster.

Status of silk wet processing in India:

Silk industry in India

The Indian silk industry has gained strength because of the domestic and export demand. The growth in the industry is measurable in terms of increased raw silk production and improved quality. Sericulture, a cottage industry of eminence, is a labor oriented sector of our economy. It constitutes combined features of agriculture and industry. Sericulture is the art of rearing silk worms to produce cocoons which serve as raw material for the production of silk. India is the largest consumer of silk in the world. It has a strong tradition and culture bound market.

Geographically, Asian countries stand first in the world for the production of silk with around 98% of total global output. In the world map of silk production, China & India are the major silk producer in the world contributing more than 95%, followed by Japan, Brazil and Korea. Thus China is the leading supplier of silk, India is the second largest silk producer & largest consumer of silk in the world. Silk production in India is about 28.7KMT for the year 2014-15 as shown in the graph below. In India, the major mulberry silk producing states are Karnataka, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, where as Non Mulberry silk producing states are Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa & Northeastern states.

Silk wet processing

Wet processing plays a vital role in the marketing of silk either to the domestic or the export market. In India, wet processing of silk is done at two stages viz., prior to weaving that is in the yarn stage or post weaving at the fabric stage. In India, 70% of the silk products produced are processed during the yarn stage itself. Wet processing of silk consists of three major processes namely, degumming, bleaching and dyeing. Silk saree is the major product produced in India and about 80% of silk sarees are loom finished (meaning processed at yarn stage itself).

In India, silk weaving clusters are also the major wet processing sectors, as these two processes are very much inter-dependent. The machineries used in silk wet processing sector both for yarn stage and fabric stage processing are discussed below.

Silk Wet Processing at Yarn Stage

In order to improve the quality of silk degumming, bleaching and dyeing, it is essential to adapt to the standards processing methodologies. Silk yarn processing unit shall consist of adoptable technology package with following equipments / machineries.

Water available in many units is not suitable for silk processing. Hence, water softening plat of appropriate capacity and capability to treat the available raw water may be provided. In the technology package, water softening facilities provided to boiler water only. The water softening plant for meeting the total requirement of processing improves the performance of the unit in terms of productivity, quality and effluent discharge.

v Arm / Tub dyeing machines

v Hydro extractor

v Boiler with water softening plant

v Electronic balances

v Effluent treatment plant

v Mechanical stirrer

Silk Wet Processing at Fabric Stage:

The silk fabric processing is another most needed area which requires improvement in India. The few silk fabric processing units functioning in India consist of adoptable technology package with following items /equipments / machineries.

v Colour Kitchen

v Fabric dyeing machines viz., winch, Jigger and Soft flow machines

v Padding mangle

v Stenter

v Calendaring

v Hydro extractor

v Boiler with water softening plant

v Electronic balances

v Effluent treatment plant

v Mechanical stirrer

Use of Natural dyes in silk dyeing

Coloration using natural dyes has almost ceased to exist as a traditional art. However, there is difference between the synthetic dyes and the traditional natural dyes in terms of eco friendliness especially after the identification of carcinogenic nature of synthetic dyes. In India, recently, there has been increasing interest in natural dyes, as the public are now aware of ecological and environmental problems related to the use of synthetic dyes. Though natural dyes appear to be eco friendly, many mordant’s used for natural dyeing are eco-unfriendly. Hence, eco friendly mordant’s such as alum, may have to be used for application of natural dyes. There is a niche increasing market for silk products colored with natural dyes in India and also for exports.

Role of Central Silk Board in India (Silk Wet Processing):

Central Silk Board has been active contributor to the sustained growth of sericulture and silk industry in India. Important role played by Central Silk Board for silk wet processing sector include; Identifying exiting silk dyers and new entrepreneurs for installing tub / arm / fabric dyeing and printing machineries; Popularization of improved silk processing technology and transfer of technology to the field; Demonstration of importance of water quality during silk processing in the silk dyeing clusters. Many of the silk dyeing and printing units release the waste water either to agricultural land or to the public drainage. Due to increased awareness on environmental hazards and proactive judicial interventions, effluent treatment is now very much essential. Further, scarcity of water for overall consumption necessitates the recycling of water in the silk processing units. Hence, Central Silk Board also advocates and provides support to establish effluent treatment plant in each silk wet processing units.

reports from International Training Program on Processing Technology and Innovation Design of Modern Silk Products