“Light & Bright” Tussah

Description

The world original of light, bright Tussah Silk.  Hand reeled and hand woven fabric has a very crisp, almost crinkly, feel.  This wonderful fabric is 100% natural.  It has a natural brilliant Tan color given to it by the Wild Silk cocoon. “Light and Bright” is beige (exact color is best seen by a sample, as monitor settings vary).

Hand woven on small looms built into the cottages of traditional village weaver families.  Hand reeled so that even wild cocoons where the moth has pushed the silk aside and emerged can be reeled.

“Light and Bright” Tussah is available in naturally undyed.

The ultimate fabric in sustainable, the semi-cultivation of wild silk in India is sponsored by the government.  Aurora Silk obtains this fabric through government sanctioned producer owned co-ops, which are typically all the village’s weavers, working together.  This is an especially excellent program in India because almost everyone in a village is also related by blood or marriage.

By using this fabric you are directly helping to preserve a peaceful, rural, healthy existence for a large village in India.

Because of the technique of hand loom weaving, the fabric comes off the loom as if hard pressed. This light weight but sturdy wild silk also has a unique hand.  It is often called “Paper Silk”. It is thin but stiff, like paper.  It can even be folded into Origami!

When water washed the hand and texture change dramatically.  Once smooth it becomes crinkled; once stiff it becomes fluid.  What is most unusual about the washed Light and Bright is the intense sensation of wearing it next to your skin.  The toughness of the Tussah fibre gives a stimulation to the nerves, blood vessels and the skin. To return it to the flat, bright surface just simply press it with a hot iron.

Naturally dyed colors displayed for informational purposes only. Cheryl is retired from production Natural dyework. You can learn to dye these and a full range of Naturally Dyed, permanent colours yourself. Tutorials are on this website; kits are available; and the Natural Dye workbook “Brilliant Colours with Natural Dyes” which is now on sale!

Fabric Information

• Fibre content: Fine Reeled Muga or Tussah Wild Silk
• Width: 42″
• Weight per linear yard: 1.7 oz
• Momme Equivalent: 20 mm
• width shrinkage:1 %
• length shrinkage:4 %