Tussar is also called wild silk because its cocoons are not cultivated, but grow in forests where the larvae of the Emperador Moth, Antharea Paphis feed on leaves of a type of oak endemic to the regions of West Bengal and Jharkand, in India, the main producer of this silk.
Tusar has a rustic appearance, short fibers and a natural golden tone. The cocoons, after being collected, are boiled to soften them, or in the case of Tussar Ahimsa (non-violent) silk, the larvae abandon the cocoons before they are boiled. They are then spun by being twisted, to have greater resistance on the loom, and washed to lose the sericin, the natural gum that the larva produces to attach the threads to the cocoon. Finally, they are woven on handlooms in the same communities where they are collected. These artisans have received this knowledge from their parents for many generations and their livelihood is entirely based on sericulture.
Appreciating the beauty of this textile helps to preserve a history, the culture of a community and keep this knowledge alive to be passed on to several generations, where more than silk, the treasure is its artisans.