The United Nations marks 21st September as the International Day of Peace.

Those who know the context of this day might be wondering what in the world do silkworms have to do with this day. While this day IS commemorated in the context of world peace i.e. specifically the absence of war and violence, it is very important to us (and to silk worms!) because our ahimsa (non-violent/ cruelty free) values of production have been a foundational pillar at T.Berry since the very beginning.

Silk is a truly beautiful material but remains an inherently cruel industry with 2,500 silkworms boiled alive and killed to make a single pound of silk- for scale, think 10,000 silkworms for one silk saree using regular silk (!) This horrific treatment is not only torturous and a slow, painful death but completely unwarranted and avoidable. 

In addition to being organic and fair-trade, our beautiful silk products are ahimsa i.e. cruelty free, using responsibly produced silk that stands for the highest standards of ethics with a serious commitment to support + preserve sustainable livelihoods and ecological biodiversity.

Our Ahimsa Silk is produced in a way that allows the silk worms to hatch and leave before using the cocoons left behind. This way of producing silk not only allows them to complete their life cycle and fly away as butterflies, but uses less water as compared to conventional silk manufacturing. 

This also translates to a much slower process of silk production which is healthier for native biodiversity as well as the people involved in production, because production is carried out without the use of harmful herbicides, insecticides or harsh chemicals that can be toxic to both-native flora and fauna and the people exposed to them.

..because true luxury is cruelty free.