the dropped spindle

Register

ClaireUK · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Coventry, UK

Is there such a thing as ethical silk for spinning/knitting etc.

Do they still boil the cocoons with the larva still alive in there to get the silk? Sounds a bit horrid to me. Does anyone know if the larva feel pain? bso they are living things too arent they. Confused

Claire UK

sally · Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 148

I understand that its pretty instantaneous, but its an interesting point nonetheless. I think I'd primarily be interested in the conditions for the workers, I think the moths and larvae themselves are pretty coddled (no pun intended) but it owuldnt surprise me if the workers have a rather harder time of it.

natalie · Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:32 am Post subject:

Interesting question.
I looked for info and came up with this on the vegan society site. Silk lovers should look away now, you probably don't want to know all this.

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/animals/exploitation/silk_worm.php

n
_________________
www.theyarnyard.co.uk

vanessa · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2 Location: North Yorkshire

If you spin from mawata caps then you may feel happier - as I understand it they are formed from the cocoons where the silk worm/moth has hatched and eaten their way out. The cap is formed by the boiled cocoon being stretched out into a bell shape from where they exited the cocoon.