107. GREENING THE SILK (TOPIC: INDIGENIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY)

♤ Why?

o Silk is extensively used in India; however its natural color is either white or yellow. To have different varieties of color silk fabrics are put through an extensive dyeing process.

o This dyeing process not only posses health risk to working laborers but the entire dyeing industry is considered as highly polluting.

o Huge amount of water is consumed and the remaining waste water is dumped in environment without treatment.

♤ This pollution can be avoided if the methods of dyeing is used at the very source i.e. silkworms producing colored silk.

♤ In India scientists at Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) with collaboration from National Chemical Laboratory have been successful to achieve this goal. How?

o The feeding procedure used for silkworms was modified.The leaves given for feeding were sprayed with known concentration of a given dye.

o Azo dyes were used for this purpose which is inexpensive and is easily available.

o Many colored cocoons were obtained by this variety and CSRTI is in the process of synthesizing new dye molecules to have desired colored silk.

o Silk Sarees with light violet and pink colors have been released under the name Naturals or RMKV silks by using this technology.

♤ Thus, the entire process of treating toxic dye effluents is significantly reduced that are generated in the traditional dyeing process.