The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Exclusive shop set up for rare silk

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Exclusive shop set up for rare silk

Special Correspondent

Central Silk Board’s Vanya Shoppe is the first in southern region

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

MARK OF QUALITY SILK: A view of Vanya Silk Shoppee in Bangalore on Friday.

BANGALORE: Now, silk lovers can buy exotic wild varieties of silk like Tasar, Eri and Muga in Bangalore with the Central Silk Board setting up a branded shop Vanya Silk Shoppee here on Friday.

Vanya Silk Shoppee, which has been set up in Bangalore under the Vanya Silk Market Promotion Cell, is the first such shop to be set up in the Southern region. Two such shops have been set up in Delhi so far.

These wild silk varieties, which are part of non-mulberry silks, are grown mainly in the north-eastern States and the tribal areas of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal. These forest varieties, where the cocoon formation took place on trees, are collected by the tribal people, said Central Silk Board Member-Secretary M. Sathiyavathy.

The board has branded these wild varieties of silk as Vanya Silks. Each of these rare wild varieties have distinctive features. The Muga variety of Vanya Silk comes in different shades of natural gold. It derives its name from Muga silkworms which feed on Som and Sualu leaves in Assam and Cooch Behar in West Bengal. Muga is the most expensive silk in the world as the raw muga silk comes at Rs. 6,000 a kg as against Rs. 1,500 of normal (mulberry-variety) silk.

The eri variety is known for its high warmth retention capacity which makes these clothes comfortable in cooler climates. Eri silkworms survive mainly on castor leaves.

The rare Tasar varieties are highly textured and have a wide range of natural shades like off-white to beige, gray and brown.

Ms. Sathiyavathy said the main purpose of setting up the Vanya Silk Shoppee was to popularise the Vanya varieties of silk and provide a platform for small manufacturers, handloom weavers, tribal artisans and retail traders to exhibit and sell their products. The shoppees would be allotted to the selected groups on six-month basis on a nominal rent, she said.

At present, the country was facing a shortfall of 6,500 tonnes of silk annually. This was being met through imports.

She said the dumping of cheap China silk had reduced after slapping anti-dumping duty four years ago.

The Vanya Silk Shoppee in Bangalore is located in the premises of the BPCL petrol pump, No. 61/1, 8th Main, 18th Cross, Malleswaram, Bangalore.

Spurious silk

Ms. Sathiyavathy said about 50 per cent of the silk sold in Kanchipuram, one of the busiest silk markets, was spurious.

She said the board had come out with Silk Mark labelling for the quality silk products and urged buyers to insist on Silk Mark labelling to ensure that they had bought pure silk.

To create awareness among consumers about the Silk Mark, the Silk Mark Association of India is holding a Silk Mark Expo-2008 at Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore from March 6 to 10.

Central Silk Board Joint Director K.S. Menon told presspersons that about 70 authorised users of Silk Mark label would participate in the expo.

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