Silk

What would the silk road be without a mention or two of silk in all its glorious forms? (No, the answer is not rhubarb this time...)

My long anticipated visit to the 'Yodgorlik Silk Factory' in Margilan, (Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan) in many ways created more questions than it answered. There have been several collaborations with the British Council which has brought the factory and the cloth to the attention of designers which in turn has brought attention to the cloth and its production. I understand it started as a public enterprise but is now privately owned - unfortunately time didn't permit a more detailed investigation so any errors / views are mine - with apologies if incorrect.

The timing of our visit meant that we were not there when the place was in full production, however we were able to get some insights into the processes helping to keep the traditions alive - with one big 'but'...(more on that later), and I did find a Youtube video link which explains things in more detail. Careful observation will also give a picture of working conditions......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WtqyNy9woM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

                                              A few cocoons left from last season......

.....hand-operated winder......

Wound thread ready for scouring.......(before)

                                                    ........after. (The thread feels quite stiff.)

Some of the natural ingredients used to create and mix the dyes.

The dyes being mixed (over heat) in large vats.

                                                The damp, resist tied skeins of thread.............

These were picked up on two poles and then dunked into the dye mixture.

By manipulating the poles the two dyers were able to move the hot threads around and dunk different sections into the dye - the same process would be used to overdye different sections into different colours.

A sample of finished dyed thread prior to removing the resists......

Threads ready for the weavers and carpet makers to use. I searched everywhere I could in an attempt to purchase some of these threads but time / tour constraints meant I came home empty handed.

Carpet weavers at work.....

                                                 ...and some enjoying a 'tourist ' break........

The hand looms in the factory. Only a few in operation. (I'm not sure how the work hours are determined, or the rates of pay.)

                                                                 Tying the fringes.........

Now here's my big 'BUT'.......

The production here was described as not machine woven but 'woman by machine'......yes, there did appear to be many adjustments made by the women working at the time but the noise in here was indescribable. The machines were like those out of Victorian industrial times - it was unimaginable what it would have been like if every machine in the room had been working rather than just two or three and no ear protection of any sort in sight.

We spoke to our guide who seemed quite baffled that we should find it an issue and maintained that there were no hearing problems. We could not tolerate the noise for more than five minutes.

Here lies a somewhat ethical dilemma.

Do we continue to purchase cloth produced under these conditions? Does it mean that by purchasing the cloth we help maintain some wonderful traditions and create jobs which otherwise might not be available? Or do we condemn other people (mostly women) to work in conditions that put their health at serious risk?

(Our visit coincided with the collapse of the clothing factory in Bangladesh which killed over a thousand workers....)

I would appreciate any views on this.

Some of the extraordinary cloth produced there..... 

And yes, I did buy some - one hand-woven piece...

.....and one 'woman by machine' piece.

I paid what I considered a fair price in local terms and can only hope that the women who made them received fair wages for their work,(though there did seem to be a large car parked in the owner's driveway......)

Sue xxxx