Day 1 Cambodia, Silk Farm

Our first day we stopped at a Silk Farm. Here they raise the mulberry plants, worms and process the silk themselves. They take teenagers from poor villages and train them in the whole process. They receive valuable job skills and education in a traditional handicraft that can support them and help their families. It was really amazing to see the whole process. Here is a basket of silk worms. Different varieties of mulberry plants help proceed different types of silk thread.




Here are some silk cocoons. They are very yellowish in color and soft.















Here are the moths laying eggs. The white dots on the paper are silk worm eggs.











Isabel being brave.














Aerin also had to try. I think the only person who didn't touch the worms is ME!!













Here is a vat of warm water filled with silk worm cocoons. They slowly dissolve the binding agent and take out small strands of silk which is then wound together.













A larger view shot of the same process.

















Here is a large spinning wheel. It was fascinating to see what they did without electricity. All people power.












These skeins of silk are all dyed using natural dyes. Taken from roots, leaves, vegetables etc..















Here is a weaver.


















This pattern is laid on the loom and then knots are tied in a specific design before the threads are dyed. Then where the knots were tied the thread is white.

















Here yellow and red threads are combined to make this gorgeous orange fabric. It's amazing to think that 150-200 years ago most women would have known how to make fabric. They would have had a loom of some sort in their home and made the fabric for their families clothing. Now we are just impressed if someone knows how to sew!

An old spinner. It's now a work of art.

Rob admiring some fabrics.


It was really fun to see how they made silk fabric from start to finish. So beautiful.