It is only natural that everyone would want their silk purchases to be stamped pure, for a guarantee on quality. Discerning silk consumers would know that one government organisation working to protect consumer interest in assessing silk to offer a mark of purity is the Central Silk Board (CSB), where its initiative Silk Mark Organisation of India, under the Ministry of Textiles offers a ‘marks card’ with its quality stamp (Silk Mark India) for the interested registered members.
The Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) has nearly 5000 members under its umbrella of weaver-clusters from all over India to have their silk labelled for purity. “Just like gold has Hallmark and Wool has Woolmark we brought in the Silk Mark to help people get 100 per cent silk that our label specifies. We guarantee only the silk, not the zari or the work that oes on a sari or fabric. It is in the interest of people’s purchases that SMOI also arranges the Silk Mark Expo, a platform to our registered members, who come from all over India, to showcase their products under one roof. This time the Silk Mark Expo-2019, flagged off on December 10 will go on till December 16,” says PG Sateesh Kumar, Deputy Director (Insp.) Silk Mark Organisation of India.
There are unscrupulous traders selling impure silk mixed with cheaper options like Viscose Rayon, Polyester, Nylon amongst others, in the name of pure silk, says Sateesh. “Our platform brings in genuine weavers, co-operatives, societies, women entrepreneurs and traders to showcase and sell their products to consumers who value the purity. After all, we know that silk is amongst the queen of woven fabrics,” he says.
Not only do these Silk Mark Expos help one see a wide variety of silks from silk weaving clusters across India but it is the experience of choosing from all the four types of commercial silks native to India - Mulberry, Tasar, Eri and Muga. “We have been conducting these expos since 2007,” says Sateesh.
The expo has brought in 38 stalls put up by authorised users of Silk Mark from more than 10 states representing approximately 15 silk weaving clusters. “It has diversified silk products like Tasar silk saris with fancy designs and embroidery, kantha work, shirts and jackets; Eri silk socks, bags, shirts, dhotis, blouses and garments apart from traditional Kanjeevaram, Banarasi, Pochampally, Murshidabad, Mysore Silk, Uppada to name a few.
“There is also a live Silk Testing Counter at the expo to ensure one is able to test the purity of the silk they purchase instantly absolutely free of cost,” says Sateesh. The theme pavilions of the Silk Mark Organisation and Vanya Silks do attract a lot of attention as they present a glimpse of the sericulture industry with cocoon, yarn and fabric display along with innovative products developed by Vanya Silk Marketing Promotion Cell (VSMPC) and Product Design, Development and Diversification (P3D) division of the Central Silk Board.
The Silk Mark Expo 2019, up to December 16, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumara Krupa Road. 23421144 /bangalore@ silkmarkindia.com
Know your silk
* Mulberry silk predominantly from Karnataka apart from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir, have weavers from Kancheepuram, Dharmavarm, Uppada, Hindupur, Molkalmuru and Illkal amongst others using the yarn.
* North Indian Tasar, as known as Kosa Silk in Sanskrit is produced from the larvae of several species of silk worms which is largely tended to by the tribals have weavers from Bhagalpur, Bihar and Malda district of West Bengal and Chittsgarh and Jharkhand using the yarn. Tusar is also used for Orissa’s Pattachitras and West Bengal’s kantha stitches
* Eri - from the Assamese word Era (castor) has the silkworm feeding on castor plants. The woolly white silk found in northeast and some parts of China and Japan, is also known as the fabric of peace as it is processed without killing the silkworm. Eri silk products are promoted as eco-friendly and provide jobs to the tribals who deal with eri-culture; while vegan designers worldwide prefer using eri-silks.
* Muga silk geographically tagged to Assam is known for its durability and has a natural golden tint with a shimmering texture. As it was originally reserved for the use of royalty, it is still amongst the costliest among silk
