Bella – Hand Spun Hand Woven “Organic Cruelty Free Silk” asunsti

Neesha Amrish has taken her ‘Aeshaane’ label from a one table workshop in Chennai, India to fashion houses in Japan and Europe. Her bold, contemporary designs are printed in vibrant colours using hand-carved wooden blocks.  Aeshaane’s hand spun and hand woven natural silks are made from yarns obtained by an organic method, from silk worms reared outdoors and released without being killed.

Organic “peace silk” is a sustainable and non-violent alternative to regular silk. The method used in the production of organic silk does not involve the killing of the silk worm – hence non-violent silk or peace silk.  Eri, Tussar and Ghicha are all types of this silk. These scarves are made from Tussar Silk.

Regular silk is produced from the cocoons by killing thousands of silk worms – dropping them into boiling water before they can metamorphose into moths. By preventing the moth chewing its way through the cocoon to escape, one long continuous thread can be produced. Organic silk is produced from the cocoon where the moth is naturally released.  By allowing the moth to pierce the cocoon, the resulting yarn is in many smaller pieces (instead of one continuous thread). These must be spun together to make a single thread. This process takes time and makes the silk highly valued. It results in a fabric which is slubbed and multi-tonal; a truly wild silk. This silk has a wonderful drape, and is both warm in winter and cool in summer, making it a truly versatile fabric. Silk is a forest-based industry and the yarn is produced in a natural untouched environment. The silk worms are reared outdoors on live trees and are not fed on plucked leaves. This natural organic silk is made in collaboration with tribal silk worm rearers. Rural spinners and weavers are used providing much needed sustainable employment to disadvantaged groups.

Minor irregularities are a feature of these hand made and hand block printed shawls, that we would ask you to embrace.