Is Silk Ethical?
Silk, known as the queen of fibers for thousands of years, is one of the most luxurious and the strongest natural fabric in the world.
History
The cultivation of domesticated silk originated in China. Evidence shows that the use of silk textiles in China dates back to 6500 BC, and the ancient Chinese used silk as early as 3600 BC.
While historical records of the origin of silk manufacturing in China are primarily lacking, Chinese legends credit Empress Leizu with the development of sericulture and the invention of silk looming. Then Leizu shared her discoveries with her people, and the knowledge became widespread in China. It is unknown how much of this story is true, but historians know that China was the first civilization to use silk.
In the early days of Chinese culture, only the nobility could afford silk, but as Chinese civilization developed and the country became wealthier, commoners started wearing this soft and durable fabric.
Silk has become a hotly desired commodity throughout history for its softness. This simple fiber has built legendary trade routes and transformed cultures throughout the Ancient World.
Currently, silk production is mainly situated in China, India, Uzbekistan, Brazil, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Iran. China holds a dominant position as the world’s largest silk manufacturer. Uzbekistan comes in third place, and Thailand is fourth in silk production worldwide.
How is Silk fabric made?
Most commercial silk today comes from the cocoons of Domesticated silkworms. These domesticated silkworms are mainly fed on Mulberry leaves, bred over decades to produce cocoons that are easy to unravel into silk.
Once silkworm breeders harvested silkworm cocoons at the mature stage of around 35 days, they usually expose them to high heat to prevent the matured worms from emerging and destroying the fiber.
Silkworms make cocoons out of one long fiber strand, which means that a fully unraveled cocoon results in a beautiful single string of silk. After the cocoons are heated, silk producers carefully unravel the silkworms' threads. They twist these long strings together to make yarn. The yarn is then ready to be woven into a garment or another type of textile after a few post-production processes to create silk yarn with specific desired attributes.
On the other hand, Wild Silk is a more sustainable alternative.
Wild larvae are fed on various types of leaves to produce natural fiber, which is a filament fiber.
Wild silk comes from the cocoons of silkworms that live semi-autonomously in forests, hence the term 'wild.' Unlike conventional silkworms (known as mulberry silkworms), which are entirely domesticated and cannot survive without human's help, wild silkworms live on trees and can find food by themselves.
Wild silk comes in different shades of brown, beige, and gold, reflecting the different trees the silkworms are fed on.
Wild silks are usually harvested after the moths have left the cocoons. That means, the finer strings are being cut in the process so that there is not a single long thread, as with domesticated silkworms.
Due to the irregular thread lengths and thickness, a fabric made from wild silk is usually not as smooth and shiny as that made from conventional silk.
How Does Silk Fabric Impact the Environment?
Since silk is a natural fiber, it is inherently sustainable and non-harmful to the environment. The harvesting and production of silk do not have any negative impact to the environment, but cultivating and transporting silk around the world may harm the environment in various ways.
Some animal rights organizations protest silk production because silkworms (Bombyx mori) are killed in the process. However, silk production remains one of the cleanest textile industries. The main food supply, mulberry trees, does not require fertilizers or pesticides, which means it’s possible to harvest cultivated silk without introducing any toxic chemicals into the environment.
Concerns for silkworms aside, silk production in countries like China and India often involves labor exploitation. While automation has made silk production easier and fairer for workers in some countries, not all manufacturing facilities have access to the same forms of automation. The ethical concern on workers in the developing countries remains.
SILK BENEFITS
Silk is naturally hypoallergenic, and thus it is a great choice of fabric for those with asthma, allergies, or sensitive skin. However, a small percentage of people might be allergic to silk itself. Silk can ease people's sensitivities, as it naturally wards off some of the most common allergens as it is dust mite resistant.
The most common consumer application of silk is apparel production, luxurious garments, and scarves accessories. Silk has been loved for thousands of years for its incredible softness and durability; until today, consumers prefer real silk over its synthetic alternatives.
When you are thinking of adding a silk product to your ethical wardrobe, it is very important for you to consider whether you really like it and how many times you will wear it. Buy less, buy better. Check out more sustainable brand products listed by Beyond Nice.
