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The economy of Thailand is an emerging one which is heavily export-dependent. Among those
exports are Thai silk and products manufactured from Thai silk. Silk is a multi-million dollar
industry for Thailand.
Silk is produced from the cocoons of silkworms. Thai weavers raise the caterpillars on a steady
diet of mulberry leaves. To produce 1 kg of silk, 104 kg of mulberry leaves must be eaten
by 3000 silkworms. When full, the caterpillars will weave cocoons. Bright yellow thread filaments
are pulled from those cocoons and later hand-reeled onto a wooden spindle to produce a uniform
strand of raw silk. The silk fabric is soaked in extremely cold water and bleached before
dyeing to remove its natural yellow coloring. Once washed and dried, the silk is woven on
a traditional hand operated loom.
Since traditional Thai silk is hand woven, each silk fabric is unique and cannot be duplicated
through commercial means. In contrast, artificial silk is machine woven, which means that every
part of the fabric is identical and has the same color. Thai silk is considered one of
the finest fabrics in the world.
In Buriram Province, close to the border of Cambodia, one of Jolica’s producer groups
is lead by a woman named Pui. After working as a designer in Bangkok, she returned to
her village and established a weaving cooperative. An astute businesswoman, Pui improved efficiency
by implementing a production line of dying and weaving. She also changed the design of
scarves from traditional patterns to more fashionably relevant patterns to reflect the
demands of the marketplace – despite opposition from various villagers.
Pui’s business is successful and she uses that success to improve people’s lives.
She has set up a fund for artisan children and is proud to say that one of those children
is now getting her PhD! Pui takes an interest in each weaver and seeks ways to help wherever
she can.