Ahimsa Silk: Is “Peace Silk” Really Peaceful?

Animal Welfare

Using an animal to satisfy any human-oriented goal always has some ethical concerns.

Silk is no exception.

The Bombyx mori moth no longer exists in the wild. Over the years, its ability to fly, see, or respond appropriately to predators has been bred out. 

Conventional silk production involves the death of billions of silkworms, and even in the case of Ahimsa silk, when the moths are allowed to emerge from their cocoons, the adult Bombyx mori moths may be killed after mating. 

Beauty Without Cruelty India investigated Ahimsa silk production and found that in one facility, once the female moths had laid their eggs, they were crushed and checked under a microscope for diseases. If diseases were found, then all of the eggs would be destroyed. 

Male moths were refrigerated and repeatedly bought out to mate before being discarded. 

Moreover, a large number of caterpillars will starve to death. 

Each female moth lays an average of 500 eggs. Not all of the eggs are required for the next round of silk production, and if the hatched caterpillars are not fed, they will die.

It appears that Ahimsa silk is not the cruelty-free silk we’re led to believe it is and really isn’t much better than conventional mulberry silk production.

Eri Silk & Tussah Silk

You may have come across other types of silk being referred to as “peace silk,” namely Eri silk (from the Samia ricini moth) and Tussar silk (from the Antheraea genus).

Like the mulberry silk moth, the Eri silk moth is fully domesticated. It is commonly claimed that Eri silk is “peace silk” because the caterpillar creates the cocoon with an opening at one end, allowing the moth to leave before the cocoon is processed. 

However, farmers sometimes cut the cocoons open, and even when allowed to exit naturally, the issue of “excess” caterpillars starving to death remains. 

Tussah silk is what’s sometimes referred to as “wild peace silk.” While an appealing name, again, misinformation abounds. 

Tussah silkworms are raised outside on trees, but it is unclear whether the moths are allowed to vacate their cocoons. Certainly, there are sources that point to the majority of cocoons being killed.

It also appears there may be some greenwashing with the term “wild silk”. 

Some peace silk clothing brands portray these cocoons as being wild-harvested from the forest, but in reality, these moths are being farmed, albeit outside on tree plantations instead of indoors.

While they may lead a somewhat more natural life than those raised indoors, the exact farming and production methods are unclear and differ between different silk farmers. 

And animal welfare is not the only ethical issue to consider. 

Unethical Labor Practices

Silk production is a labor-intensive process associated with various negative impacts for farmers and silk reelers.

The majority of silk production takes place in China, India, and Uzbekistan, where there are concerns about low wages and human rights abuses. 

There have been multiple reports of child and forced labor as well as injuries, including burns and other health issues resulting from unsafe working conditions and exposure to the chemicals used during silk production.

Mulberry farmers (who grow the leaves on which the silkworms feed) also experience health problems resulting from pesticides and herbicide use. 

Silk production can generate important income, especially for rural communities. However, it is essential to find out what checks a brand has in place to ensure that the workers in its supply chain receive fair wages and have safe working conditions.

Third-party certifications, including Fairtrade, help ensure responsible sourcing. 

Energy, Water, & Chemical Use

Silk production is resource-intensive. 

On the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) silk is one of the highest-ranking fibers in terms of environmental impact, primarily due to GHG emissions from production. 

Silk production involves high water and energy use in maintaining the correct temperature for silkworm rearing and processing the cocoons into fabric. 

Then, there is the chemical usage. Producers sometimes use hormone disruptors, like the insecticide methoprene, to lengthen the cocoon-making time and yield more silk. 

Further chemicals are used to soften and bleach the silk fiber. 

Metallic salts are still sometimes used for fabric weighting and then there is the dyeing process, which usually involves more chemicals. 

It is also important to consider the farming practices used to grow the mulberry leaves. While it is possible to grow mulberry trees organically, cultivation often involves agrochemicals, including fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides.  

These chemicals pose a hazard to workers in the supply chain and are released in wastewater (or irrigation run-off), polluting the environment and harming wildlife. They also affect silk’s biodegradability. 

What About Organic Silk?

The organic production of silk is free of fertilizers and pesticides, and the water used during fabric processing is free of heavy metals and toxic chemicals. 

However, just because it’s a more eco-friendly silk doesn’t mean it’s ethical.

For all the reasons we’ve discussed above and the fact that no certifications exist for “peace silk”, we recommend avoiding buying virgin silk fabric altogether.