Muga silk
This golden yellow colour 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 culture is specific to the state
of Assam and an integral part of the tradition and culture of that state. The
muga silk, an high value product is used in products like sarees, mekhalas,
chaddars, etc
Muga silk is the only silk in the world which is naturally
gold. And as far as we know - it is the only fabric considered an earthly
symbol of a goddess (that would be Lakshmi - the mighty goddess of prosperity).
Like all great beauties, muga is not just pleasing to the eye - it is also
strong. The lush gold color increases with each wash, and its fibers are much
stronger than regular mulberry silk. The gold color comes from a deposit of
protein on the outside of the thread.
Muga is a gift from the Indian state of Assam. Apparently,
Assamese royalty kept this amazingly unique silk under wraps for centuries -
common people and foreigners were not allowed to wear it. Today it is still relatively unknown to the
world, partly because it is so difficult to get. Harvested in its wild state
only twice a year, muga silk is only available in one tiny valley.
Cotton and Silk Khadi:
Khadi is a handloom fabrics made by hand-spinning threads on a
‘charkha’, these threads can be cotton, silk or wool. The fabric keeps you warm in the winter, cool
in the summer and lasts for years. During their struggle for independence
against Britain in the earlier part of the century, Mahatma Ghandi urged the
people of India to weave and wear the fabric as a symbol of India’s self
reliance. Khadi represented a means to
provide jobs for the unemployed rural population of India, andto this day most
politicians in India are seen only in khadiclothing.
Mutka Silk:
Mutka is made from waste silk. The first & last part of
the silk does not have the same shine as the center and is usually disposed of,
typically it’s burned or thrown away in a landfill. We yarn dye the "waste
silk" into two different colors, twist the two colors into one yarn and
then weave it into fabric, creating a tweed-like appearance.
Batik is an Indonesian word meaning 'wax writing.' No one is
quite sure where is started but most fingers point to South Asia. What we do
know is that inspiration struck more than 2000 years ago and slowly spread
across he world. The ancient folks must have been crazy about the stuff: they
tucked scrapes of it into Egyptian tombs, painted images of it on cave walls in
India and carved temple figures swathed in it in Java and Bali.
This is how it works: first the cloth is dyed one color,
then that cloth is coated with wax. When the wax cools, it cracks and creates
veins of exposed cloth. The waxed handloom fabric is then dipped into or painted with
another color. The area that is covered with wax 'resists' the new dye which
seeps into the cracked areas. Almost any kind of cloth can be dyed this way.
But the most common are cotton and silk.
Jamdani:
The origin of the word 'jamdani' is uncertain. Some say it
comes from a Bengali or Urdu and translated means 'wine cup.' Like fine
letterpress stationary, jamdani handloom designs are deliciously subtle. Run your
fingers across the cloth and feel the raised threads that outline the design.
The method of weaving is akin to tapestry work. Small shuttles of individual
threads are inserted into the weft. The design is slightly raised - it appears
to float above the surface of the cloth.
Jamdani is one of the world’s most ancient forms of textile
handloom design. We know it was woven in West Bengal and Bangladesh since at least the
4th century - but there is evidence that it developed as early as 300 AD! It
reached its zenith during the Mughal years. The Mughal rulers and other
aristocrats always insisted on having clothes made with the finest jamdani
cloth when they stepped out on the town. By the mid-1700s, the jamdani weavers
were exporting millions of dollars worth of cloth to Europe as well.
