VeggieSilk releases silkworms live while harvesting silk cocoons

StartupRealities No 155

VeggieSilk is a fair-trade silk producer which has developed technology to release silkworms intact from their silk cocoons in the silk production process. The fact that the silkworm is not killed in the process of harvesting the silk fibres makes the silk suitable for vegans and ethical consumers.

The traditional silk production process requires boiling the silk cocoons to kill the pupae inside before they start gnawing their way out through the cocoon and damaging the fibres. VeggieSilk uses ultrasound sonar to establish the ripeness of the cocoons and splits each cocoon open along the direction of the fibres, so that the fibre is not damaged when the silkworm is released. 

CEO QUOTE
"Our patented micro-robotic technology slits each cocoon open and releases the prisoner inside. Technically, we perform a Caesarian section for the silkworm in every cocoon we harvest. We then set the insects free through a hole in the wall. We call that hole The Shawshank Redemption - guess why!" said VeggieSilk founder and CEO Vega da Silva.
Ahimsa silk cocoons
(image source: Wikipedia)


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