Commercial silk kills the silkworm. Conventional silk is made by boiling the intact cocoons and unwinding the single silk strand onto reels. Only a few moths are allowed to emerge to continue the population of silkworms. The rest are killed by being boiled in their cocoons. This is done so the silk fibers are not broken and can be reeled off in a continuous strand. However, the silk can still be spun like other fibers if the moths are allowed to emerge.

Peace Silk Cocoons are available from our shop.

"Peace Silk" lets the silkworm live out its full life cycle. "Peace silk", also known as "vegetarian silk" is raised and processed differently. The moths are allowed to emerge from their cocoons to live out their full life cycle. The silk is degummed and spun like other fiber, instead of being reeled. The resulting yarn is soft, fluffy, and light like a cloud. This is the best silk for warmth and therapeutic use. It is rare and not readily commercially available. For information on how to raise your own "Peace Silk", check out our Raising Silk Tutorial.

Our Peace Silk Farm. In conjunction with Mama D.O.C., we have begun a project to raise Peace Silk. "The Feisty Little Silkworm" is a demonstration peace silk farm in the Dominican Republic, where the warm weather produces cocoons in a record 23 days. The first silkworms were raised in February 2001. Peace Silk cocoons will be available in commercial quantities very soon. Knit body warmers of Peace Silk will be produced as soon as possible. Limited quantities of Peace Silk cocoons are available

Therapeutic qualities of Peace Silk. There is nothing like silk for warmth. Spun soft and lofty, silk is as insulating as the finest down. Knit body warmers are available widely in Northern Europe, using camel, alpaca, or commercial silk fibers. Making these of organic Peace Silk would be the most therapeutic possible. When they were available, we dyed and sold thick silk gloves knit from noil yarn. Many arthritis sufferes bought them to wear at night for pain relief to their hands, and there is no question they were useful and effective. Peace Silk could be used to make night caps, mufflers, cowls, and knee, elbow, and wrist warmers.

Wrist and Foot warmers made from wild Tussah silk are available from our shop.

Tussah is naturally "Peace Silk". Tussah, or wild silk, is made by gathering cocoons from the wild after the moths have emerged, so it is also vegetarian. For more information or to buy handspun Tussah silk yarn, visit our selection of Tussah yarns.