CRAFT RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION

on
MYSORE SILK WEAVING
KOLLEGALA HANDLOOM CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY
CHAMUNDI SILKS
Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Limited
Group Members:
Aishwarya Ramprasad
Ashik Ahammed P V
Deepthi Anand
Karishma Therese Lopez
Ketizuele Ndang
Palassery Jeethu
Sreekala Renjith

OBJECTIVES OF CRD
To understand the complete silk weaving process in the silk weaving industry.
To understand different roles played by different departments in the silk weaving
industry.

INTRODUCTION
According to Chinese tradition, the history of silk begins in the 27th century BCE.
Its use was confined to China until the Silk Road opened at some point during the
latter half of the first millennium BC.

fig.1.1
Women striking and preparing silk,painting
by Emperor Huizong of Song, early 12th century.

INDIAN SILK INDUSTRY

The India silk industry is an integral part of the Indian Textile Industry and is among
the oldest industries in India. The silk industry in India engages around 60 lakh
workers and it involves small and marginal farmers.

fig 1.2
The appearance of silk cocoon

The production output of Silk industry in India is 17,300 tons of silk and it
produces 4 types of silk viz., Mulburry, Muga, Tassore, and Eri. The crux of India
silk industry lies with the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal.
"Sericulture" or rearing of silkworm revolves around these Indian states and thus
the farming of silk is concentrated in these states only. Sericulture involves rearing
of food plants - the mulburry plants, rearing of the silk insect, and finally postcocoon processes such as twisting, dyeing, weaving, printing, and finishing.

Recently, there has been a sudden drop in the production level of silk in
India due to the following factors:
Imports of cheap and alternative textiles from other Asian neighbors
Use of outdated manufacturing technology
Primitive and unscientific "reeling" and "weaving" techniques
Use of poor quality seeds
Low production of bivoltine seeds
Use of non-graded and diseased seeds
Poor knowledge of farm disease amongst farmers
Poor supply chain management
Huge unorganized and decentralized sector
High production cost
Recurring droughts
Increased import of silk from China

fig 1.3

Silk since the Industrial Revolution

The start of the Industrial Revolution

Strengths of Indian Silk Industry are as follows:

Huge production capacity
Efficient raw material manufacturing capacity
Large pool of skilled and cheap labor
Entrepreneurial skills
Huge export potential
Large domestic market
Very low import content
Flexible silk manufacturing systems
The Central Silk Board under the Ministry of Textiles Government of India has
taken some steps to revive this sick industry. It has collaborated with the Japanese
Government for technology cooperation for increased cultivation and use of
bivoltine seeds. Further, the 10th Plan envisages an increased silk production of
21,800 MT, increased exports by 15%, and creation of livelihoods for around 61
lakh people by the end of year 2007

ABOUT KSCI

2.1 INTRODUCTION
The silk weaving factory in Mysore, presently owned by KSIC, was
establishedin the year 1912 by the Maharaja of Mysore province. Initially the silk
fabricswere manufactured and supplied to meet the requirements of the royal
family andornamental fabrics to their armed forces.The unit was started with 10
looms and gradually increased to 44 looms over a period. The looms and
preparatory machines were imported from Switzerland andwas the first of its kind
in India. After India gained Independence the Mysorestate Sericulture Dept. took
control of the silk weaving factory.
After the Independence, the legacy of this Factory was passed on to
Department Of Sericulture in Government of Mysore.During 1980 the Mysore
Silk Weaving Factory along with Silk Filature, situated At T.Narasipura , another
undertaking of the Government of Mysore was handed over to Karnataka Silk
Industries Corporation Limited popularly known as KSIC.

The most exciting thing about Mysore silk , known to almost every one is
its amazing drape, quality of silk and zari, higher sheen of the fabric & the royal
look.
With a view to maintain high standards of Quality, KSIC has obtained ISO
9001-2000 certification for Quality Management System during 2005 &
Environment Management System Certificate - ISO 14001-2004 during the year
2007 from M/S TUV of Germany. KSIC established Occupational Health & Safety
Management System (OHSAS 18001-2007).

2.2 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) has been awarded the
Certificate of Geographical Indication for Mysore Silk, elevating it to a brand name
for its exclusive use.

2.3 PRESENT STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY

KSIC produces 6,000 saris every year and, armed with the GIR certificate,
KSIC now plans to have a distributor in every state.
2.4 EXCLUSIVE STATUS
Manufacturers or traders can use the words Mysore Silk to market their silk
fabric without KSICs nod product must be made in Mysore district penal action

for unauthorized use. Every Mysore silk saree will carry a logo intellectual
property India.

2.5 BRIEF ON PRODUCT

KSIC is the only organization in the country commending the entire gamut of
silk production right from reeling of cocoons to the weaving of pure silk fabric
of various shades and designs, all under one roof. KSIC uses only high quality
pure natural silk and 100% pure gold zari. The zari never tarnish and will look fresh
even over a long period of usage. KSIC is the only organization to give guarantee
for its zari sari in the form of embroidered code No. which is unique to each sari.

Hence, three main market segments offer great opportunity to Indias silk
industry:
(i)The broadening domestic traditional demand multi bivoltine based
(ii)The domestic demand for non traditional silk fabrics, based at least partly
on non graded bivoltine raw silk
(iii)The vast and expanding international market for raw silk, silk fabrics and
ready made, based on graded bivoltine silk, an export potential as yet relatively
little exploited by India.

2.6 VISION
To provide employment directly and indirectly by producing goods, products
and marketing effectively in the market.
2.7 MISSION

To produce quality Mysore silk sarees

2.8 SERICULTURE

Cultivation of the silkworm is known as sericulture. Although many insects produce

silk, only the filament produced by Bombyx mori, the mulberry silk moth and a few
others in the same genus, is used by the commercial silk industry.
[The silkworm is, technically, not a worm but a moth pupa.]

2.9 PROCESS

2.9.1 Hatching the Eggs

The first stage of silk production is the laying of silkworm eggs, in a controlled
environment such as an aluminum box, which are then examined to ensure they
are free from disease. The female deposits 300 to 400 eggs at a time.

In an area the size of a monitor screen, 100 moths would deposit some 40,000
eggs, each about the size of a pinhead. The female dies almost immediately after
depositing the eggs and the male lives only a short time after. The adult possesses
rudimentary mouthparts and does not eat during the short period of its mature
existence.
The tiny eggs of the silkworm moth are incubated (about 10 days) until they
hatch into larvae (caterpillars). At this point, the larva is about a quarter of an inch
long.
2.9.2 The Feeding Period

Once hatched, the larvae are placed under a fine layer of gauze and fed huge
amounts of chopped mulberry leaves during which time they shed their skin four
times. The larvae may also feed on Osage orange or lettuce. Larvae fed on
mulberry leaves produce the very finest silk. The larva will eat 50,000 times its
initial weight in plant material.
For about six weeks the silkworm eats almost continually. After growing to its
maximum size of about 3 inches at around 6 weeks, it stops eating, changes color,
and is about 10,000 times heavier than when it hatched. The silkworm becomes
ready to spin a silk cocoon.

2.9.3 Spinning the Cocoon

The silkworm attaches itself to a compartmented frame, twig, tree or shrub in a

rearing house to spin a silk cocoon over a 3 to 8 day period. This period is termed
pupating.

Silkworms possess a pair of specially modified salivary glands called

sericteries, which are used for the production of fibroin a clear, viscous,
proteinaceous fluid that is forced through openings called spinnerets on the
mouthpart of the larva.
Liquid secretions from the two large glands in the insect emerge from the
spinneret, a single exit tube in the head. The diameter of the spinneret determines
the thickness of the silk thread, which is produced as a long, continuous filament.
The secretions harden on exposure to the air and form twin filaments composed of
fibroin, a protein material. A second pair of glands secretes a gummy binding fluid
called sericin which bonds the two filaments together.
Steadily over the next four days, the silkworm rotates its body in a figure-8
movement some 300,000 times, constructing a cocoon and producing about a
kilometer of silk filament.

2.9.4 Reeling the Filament

At this stage, the cocoon is treated with hot air, steam, or boiling water. The silk
is then unbound from the cocoon by softening the sericin and then delicately and
carefully unwinding, or 'reeling' the filaments from 4 - 8 cocoons at once,
sometimes with a slight twist, to create a single strand.
As the sericin protects the silk fiber during processing, this is often left in until
the yarn or even woven fabric stage. Raw silk is silk that still contains sericin. Once
this is washed out (in soap and boiling water), the fabric is left soft, lustrous, and

up to 30% lighter. The amount of usable silk in each cocoon is small, and about
2500 silkworms are required to produce a pound of raw silk.
2.9.5 Soaking
It takes 9 cocoons to make one thread. Likewise it takes 14800 cocoons to
make one saree. After the reeling of filament to make the yarn more smooth, the
hanks are boiled with coconut oil and detergent. The Denier size is approx. 26-28
std.
2.9.6

Winding of weft yarns in yarns bobbin

Weft yarns are given a temoorary colour of orange and green.The orange weft
yarns are given S-twist while, tha green weft yarns are given Z-twist. The hanks
are winded into bobbins in the first stage which is fast process.It is known as
Winding.
2.9.7

Doubling

Two yarns are winded together without much twist in the bobbin.

2.9.8 First twist and first rewinding

The bobbins are then taken for twisting which is a fast process and in later
stage it is re-winded.

2.9.9

Second twist

This time it is slow process to wind it further tightly. And is taken for Vacuum
heat setting.

2.9.10 Vacuum heat setting

This process is done to avoid knotting of yarn on its own due to high twist. The
resltant is taken to second re-winding.

2.9.11 Weaving
There are 139 power looms involved in the weaving process including manual
and computerised jacquard machines.
The working of the power- looms is similar to that of the handlooms consisting of
shedding, picking and beating. The only difference is that the power-looms are
driven by motors.
For the manual jacquard, the designs are stored in the wooden lattice while in
the electronic jacquard, each yarn is controlled with the help of harnesses. The
butta-designs are made though these jacquard machines.

2.9.12 Degumming
After the Saree are woven they are folded in book form and clipped on both the
ends. This clipped saris are dipped in a solution of soap and soda at 100 degree
Celsius for 2 hours. After this process the sari is taken for dyeing.

2.9.13 Dyeing

The dye bath is prepared and fed into the machine. At a time 24 saris can be
dyed in the winch machine. The saris are 1st dyed in a single colour. The material
is made to rotate constantly and the solution remains constant. Acid dyes are
mainly preferred for silk and the other dyes which are used include reactive and
metal dyes. For getting light and medium shades of colours the Sarees are
inserted in cold medium for half an hour and then the temperature is slowly
increased up to 85degree Celsius and kept for another 30 minutes.
For dark shades the saris inserted in cold medium for 35 minutes. Formic acid is
used for fixation of the dye then washing is done to remove the excess colour.
2.9.14 Ironing
After dyeing the Sarees are taken for ironing in Stenter Machine. In this process
the individual Sarees are cut and stitched to the end of the other Sarees forming
one continuous line of Saree. These are stretched and passed through the rollers
of the Stenter machine. The Sarees are then passed over a hot steam roller and
they are finally rolled on a beam.

2.10 WARP YARNS

The warp yarns needs to have high twist and is in natural colour that is white or
yellow. There are two processes in warping, namely cone winding and drum
winding.
In cone winding, the warp yarns are directly wounded onto the cones while in
drum winding, the yarns are wounded in a criss-cross manner. In cone warping,
three hairs make one unit where no twist is given, and three units make one warp
yarn where twist is given.

2.11 GOLD WARP YARNS

The gold that is used is first checked in Chennai and is later sent to Surat where
the gold warp yarns are made by electroplating a hard-twisted silk yarn with a
mixture of 0.65% gold and 65% silver and copper. One bar of gold lace weighs 250
g where 1g of gold lace costs Rs. 94.
The gold lace are wounded on 'Hylam bobbins' instead of wooden bobbins to
prevent scratches and also to avoid yarn breakage due to friction with the sides of
the bobbin.
2.12 VARITIES

crepe-de-chine
georgette
zari imprinted crepe silk sarees
semi crepe sarees
printed or dyed

2.13 DESIGNS
embroidery design sarees
big butta pallu sarees
jawar border sarees
small mango sarees
zari printed saree
tissue saree
traditional zari saree
checked zari saree

PRICES
Extends froom Rs.8000 to Rs.2,22,000 and weighs approx.1 kg. The prices
are generally based on pricing policies taken by the company based on
the market conditions. The pricing decisions are taken by the Marketing
Department after studying the market conditions and also comparing the
competitors price.

One can identify an original mysore silk by it's weight and the unique code.
The geographical indication registration given by the govt. makes KSIC the sole
properties of mysore silk.
P r o d u c t
Marketing department ensures that the product is of the same grade asspecified
by the customers and meets the quality standards.
3. Promotion
It deals with advertising and sales promotion for the product. Since the
company goes for Industrial marketing department, mainly on electronicsegment, it
concentrates on direct marketing as a means of promotion whichenjoys the
advantage of two way communication.
5. Place
In this industry the place is not that much important. The production plant
is setup in Mysore.
SWOT analysis
STRENGTHS
KSIC is a public limited company.
KSIC awarded the certificate of geographical indication for Mysore silk,
elevating it to a brand name for a exclusive use.
KSIC is the only organisation to give guarantee for its zari sarees in the
form of embroider code number which is unique to each saree.
KSIC uses only high quality pure silk and 100% pure gold saree.
KSIC have a patent right of Mysore silk brand.
WEAKNESS:
.The technology which is used in KSIC is not up to the standard.
There is lack of skilled labour in KSIC Ltd
There are many highly competitive companies in the
market.More than 45 dealers in Bangalore were misusing the name of Mysore
silks.
Other silk products are sold in the name of Mysore silks
OPPORTUNITIES:
Exports the silk products to other countries.
Providing employment opportunity for rural people
Employees will get PF, ESI, minimum bonus and gratuity benefits.
Giving apprenticeship training for workers.

THREATS:
KSIC found that more than 45 dealers in Bangalore were misusing the name of
Mysore silk.
They continued to market other silk products in the name of Mysore silk, after
which their dealership was cancelled, headed.
The KSIC will also be coding every Saree borders.
The code will contain the name of weaver and date of weaving. In case of
complaints, the weaver can be traced immediately.
K S I C p r o d u c e s 6 , 0 0 0 s a r e e s e v e r y a n d a r m e d w i t h t h e G I R certific
ate, KSIC now plans to have a distributor in every state.

KOLLEGALA HANDLOOM
CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY

KOLLEGALA

Kollegala is one of the major taluks in the Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka

State in the south of India. It is also the largest taluk in Karnataka. Kollegela is well
known for its silk weaving which attracts traders from all over the state.

Fig3.1
Handlooms in cluster

HISTORY

Karnataka Handloom Development Center, Kollegala is a hand loom weavers cooperative society. The society was established during the British period and has
been carried forward by generations even today. The society has over 300
handlooms, one for each weaver in the village with annual turnover of Rs.10 lakhs.

Working and Production

Silk yarns used for weaving are provided to the weavers by their owners who
they work for. Dyed yarns are used for weaving. The golden yarns used for
the borders are made of polyester which is bought from Mysore town.
Pure gold yarns which were used eight years back are not used anymore.
Silk yarns are wound onto the shuttle with the help of charka. This process is
done by the female workers of the cluster.

Fig.5: Silk weft yarns

Fig.6: Silk warp yarns

Fig.3:
Charka and winding of yarn into bobbin
There are three types of looms used for weaving: pit looms, table top looms
and jacquard looms. Jacquard designs are done on the cardboard there itself. The
jacquard looms are used for producing elaborate designs.

Fig.7
Weaver working with handloom

There are different worker assigned for different works like winding using
charka, weaving plain sarees, weaving dress materials, weaving jacquard
sarees, ets. There are even special designers assigned for the making of

jacquard designs.

It takes one day for the weaver for threading the loom. It takes three days
to complete a plain saree and one week for jacquard sarees.

They also produce plain silk dress materials for shirts and pants. For this
purpose, they use thin silk yarns for warp and thick silk yarns for weft
weaving. They also produce cotton-silk dress materials using cotton for weft
yarns and silk in warp.

Fig.8
Jacquard

designs

Finishing: While weaving, a solution of tree gum resin in water is applied on

the newly woven saree, before getting rolled. This is done in order to give a
smooth finish and glossy appearance to the saree. The finished products are
then sent to Bangalore for printing.
PRICE

Plain sarees cost around Rs.2000 to Rs.4500 and the price range of jacquard
sarees vary between Rs.3000and Rs.6000 depending on the intricacy of the
design. Clothing material per meter (pure silk) costs around Rs.450 to Rs.750.
PLACE
Kollegal is one of the major taluks in the Chamrajnagar District of Karnataka State
in the south India. The raw materials are transported from Mysore(main city).
PROMOTION
Most of the weavers in kollegal wor-+k for the master weavers and so, the end
product is sold to them. In the present scenario not much promotion is in the
scene.
PRODUCT
The product range includes shirt (running) material and sarees

Kollegal silk weaving is different from Mysore silk because:

Weaving in Kollegal is done in handlooms whereas in Mysore, weaving is
done in power looms.
In Kollegal, the yarns are dyed before weaving the saree, while in Mysore,
the saree is first woven and then dyed
The golden yarns used for weaving in Kollegal are made of polyester while
those used in Mysore are made of pure gold
In Kollegal, the jacquard designs are made on cardboard while in Mysore,
they are made on wood.
The heddle shafts of the handlooms of Kollegal are made of yarn while those
of the power looms in Mysore are made of metal.
The daily wages of a Kollegal worker is Rs.150 while the monthly salary of a
permanent worker in Mysore silk factory is Rs.30, 000.
The price range of the sarees of Kollegal is Rs.2000 to Rs.6000, whereas the
price range of the sarees of KSIC, Mysore is Rs.3000 to Rs.1lakh.

SWOT
Strength:
All the products in kollegala are made in handlooms hence, the value of each
saree is high.
Weakness:
Handlooms consumes more time than powerlooms .
Production is less compared to powerlooms and more manpower in demand more
than the availability.
The wages for the weavers are quiet less compared to othe silk industries.
The hardwork put by the workers gets hardly noticed.
OPPORTUNITIES:
Usage of handlooms keeps our heritage alive
can get noticed in MAKE IN INDIA project.
It has room for improvising and profit.
tTHREAT:
Silk weaving in handlooms, practiced in Kollegal is a traditional craft of Karnataka.
Although, the skill of the weavers have been passed on generation after
generation, the demand for hand woven silk sarees have gone down as compared
to the Mysore silk sarees. Hence, the weavers have moved on to find other
professions to make their ends meet.

CHAMUNDI SILKS

MYSURU

CHAMUNDI SILKS

Excellence is our service. Clients are our priority . The our here stand for
chamundi textiles that believes in exceeding of its customers with honesty,Integrity,
openness and with mutual respect for the right and interests of all stakeholders.
Established in 1947 by alagappa chettiar , chamundi textiles has grown to be
known for innovative , creative and reliable textiles worldwide. Chamundi textiles
began with elegant hand woven cotton sarees and expanded to exporting top
quality silk and supplying mysureans with exotic soft silk sarees. The cotton saree
store expanded into the silk saree business when alagappa chettiars son muthiah
and daughter-in-law valli muthiah went to japan to learn the art of silk weaving.
While muthiah specialized as a silk technologist,valli muthiah got trained in dyeing
and printing. Both of them are associated with the company since 65 years as the
managing director and executive director.
Over the past 6 decades, chamundi textiles has grown from cotton silk sarees
to elegantly designed home dcor. The factory is located a hootagalli in mysuru,

has the state of the art machinery which goes a long way in making the fine cloth
that they sell.

MACHINERIES USED

There are machines for everything from weaving, twisting, dyeing and for
executing finishing touches. These machines ensure that quality remains uniform
on all its batches.

PRODUCTION
Chamundi textiles manufacture about 1,000 sarees a month. They also make silk
fabrics both Indian and foreign markets. Their production included a rainbow of
choices and the jacquard collection is known for its contemporary designs and
textures along with tensile strength. Other products include dupions, sheers,
damask, and brocades which are manufactured from pure silk , silk blends and
natural fibers. The company also specializes in apparel fabrics such as bridal wear,
chiffons georgettes , crepes and yarn dyes fabrics.

MANUFACTURE
Chamundi silks has a full fledged in house silk infrastructure right from silk yarn
preparation to manufacturing and delivering the finished product. Manufacturing is
done at mysore plant and the range includes crepe, chiffion , printed silk sarees,
dhoti.
The in house design studio comes up with attractive new designs that are sold
side by side with the traditional designs. They cater to small customers too and
specially dyes to the color with a minimum order quantity of even 3 sarees. They
supply specially made to order customized uniform sarees to institutions and
corporates

DESIGN

Chamundi textiles have a design studio with a team of creative designers and
artists work on the delicately crafted fabric to create beautiful deisgns to fit into any
space.

WHY CHAMUNDI SILK IS UNIQUE ?

Silk is Indias pride and nothing can rival its beauty when worn for any
occasion. Chamundi silks offers a range of soft silks that make a woman the
cynosure of all eyes. Made from pure silk and embellished with pure gold zari,
these come in soft pastels in vibrant jewel hues.

Following the rich legacy of silk left by tipu sultan, chamundi silk started
operations in 1947. A pioneer in producing soft silk sarees in 100% pure silk with
original gold zari, these sarees have endeared themselves in the hearts of
mysureans.

MARKETING MIX OF CHAMUNDI SILKS

Place: The factory is located around one km from Infosys, Mysore. It has good
access to resources like Water, Boiler for producing steam, Waste water treatment

plant and spacious place for dyeing and weaving unit. And it also has retail stores
in Bangalore, and a few in Mysore. They produce Sarees Mainly and Dress
materials for the Indian Market and quality Furnishing Decors for the Global.
The factory is capable of producing furnishing items for aboout 30-40,000 per
annum and and an estimated dyeing of 5 tonnes per month. Consists of 200
employees.
The factory uses Spray Hank Dyeing technology (Mezra Machines- made in
Italy). In case for dyeing synthetic, high pressure - high temperaturemethod is
used.
45,000m is being exported per month.
Price and People: Indian Market- The prime target are the middle to high class
society and so the price varies according to the quality of the yarns used. Eg:
Sarees start from Rs. 450 to 22,000 and further not to forget the latter is deemed
for pure silk varieties and the same goes for dress materials.
Global Market: As already mentioned only Furnishing and home Decor products
are exported and the price varies according to the demand and are mainly
exported to Europe also exploring opportunities in Russia.
Promotion: The products are displayed in fares for both import and export and
also promoted through ads(media) in India.

Conclusion
The cluster activities mainly aim to make the weavers independent and self
sustainable. Nowadays, the use of handlooms in silk weaving has reduced due to
the low production rate, more labour and introduction of power looms and
computerized jacquard machines which has improved the production.
Silk weaving in handlooms, practiced in Kollegal is a traditional craft of Karnataka.
Although, the skill of the weavers have been passed on generation after
generation, the demand for hand woven silk sarees have gone down as compared
to the Mysore silk sarees.