The Silk Weaving Artisan Process

The silk I work with isn't produced in one factory. Entire villages participate in different stages of production such as:

Growing mulberry leaves

Raising silkworms

Harvesting cocoons

Spinning silk

Hand weaving fabric

This silk cottage industry relies on a collaborative network, with each village mastering just one step of the process before passing the silk along to the next.

I have personally visited these silk producing villages for decades and maintain relationships with many of the same artisan families today.

Close-up of a person holding a white caterpillar on a green leaf, with a metal dish in the background.
Close-up of a spider's egg sac with webbing.
Woman sitting on floor weaving yellow fabric, surrounded by more folded fabrics, with outdoor scene and other people in background.
A woman kneels on a patterned rug, working with yellow fabric and twisted strands of yellow fabric, possibly preparing textiles, with a street scene visible in the background.
Group of children standing in a field with harvested crops in a rural area, with trees, houses, and some adults in the background.
Close-up of silkworm larvae feeding on mulberry leaves, surrounded by silk cocoons and webbing.
Close-up of a nest with larvae or pupae, silk webbing, and some green leaves.
An elderly man in traditional clothing stands in a harvested rice field next to a large circular rice straw drying rack. A woman stands in the background among trees and palm trees, with a road visible behind them.
Dry agricultural field with solar drying racks for corn, and bundles of harvested crops in the background in a rural area with trees and traditional huts.
Close-up of a nest with caterpillars and silk, arranged in a spiral pattern.
A person riding a bamboo cart pulled by a bicycle, with another person standing nearby on a dirt road shaded by trees in a rural setting.
Group of six children inside a room with traditional weaving tools and colorful walls, smiling at the camera.
Two girls working with silkworms on mulberry leaves in a rural setting, with traditional woven baskets filled with mulberry leaves nearby.
Four women sitting and squatting around large round trays filled with green leaves and white caterpillars, in a bamboo-walled room.
A woman inside a rustic room surrounded by large woven baskets holding green leaves, some with white and yellow flowers, and a smiling woman sitting on the ground near the baskets.
Green leafy plant in the foreground with dried soil and multiple fields in the background, some with hay bales and horses grazing.
People farming in a large open field with greenery and houses in the background.
Two children working in a lush green farm with small houses and trees in the background.
A group of children and two adults standing on a rural road, with trees, farm animals, and villagers in the background.
A man sits on the ground weaving a traditional loom, while four other people observe and engage with him outdoors in a rustic neighborhood.
Two women in traditional sarees standing inside a small, modest room with a blue wall, cluttered with a small television, wires, and household items. One woman is smiling and facing forward, while the other is partially visible on the left.
Four women standing inside a room with a large wooden weaving loom, some of them smiling at the camera.
An elderly woman sitting on the ground outdoors, with a spinning wheel and a mug nearby, next to a brick wall.
An elderly woman dressed in white sitting on the ground outdoors, surrounded by makeshift toys including a yellow ring-and-stick toy and a small spinning top, with two cups nearby, against a brick wall and a dirt pathway.
A rural scene with a small adobe house, a large tree in front, and four children standing outside. One woman is sitting near the house, and there is a pile of old roofing sheets nearby.
Several bundles of blond hair extensions or very long, blonde synthetic hair on top of a yellow silk fabric. The background shows patterned tablecloth and cloth napkins.
A rural scene with brick houses, palm trees, and a person standing on a rooftop.
A man sitting on the floor next to a table with yellow silk fabric and silk threads, in a room with orange walls and an electrical outlet.
Man standing barefoot outside a small, rustic building with a yellowish mud wall and a black doorframe, wearing a red tank top and a plaid garment wrapped around his waist.
A man sitting on the floor next to a railing, holding a small black and white puppy, inside a small, rustic room.
Close-up of a white grub larva on a green leaf held in someone's hand.