Table of Contents
Child Labor cited by U.S. Government
Risk of Forced Labor or Trafficking in Persons cited by other source
Risk of Child Labor cited by other source
Documented presence of migrant workers
Documented presence of other vulnerable workers
Forced Labor or Trafficking in Persons cited by U.S. Government
Documented presence or significant likelihood of third-party labor recruiters
Large numbers of dispersed, unorganized, or informal small producers or other worksites
Complex/opaque supply chains and/or lack of vertical integration
Multiple points of aggregation, co-mingling, and/or transformation across supply chain
High degree of flexibility in procurement practices of downstream entities
Scale or nature of risk varies significantly based on geographic area of production
Scale or nature of risk is present across multiple tiers or nodes of supply chain (including in associated downstream or upstream goods)
Scale or nature of risk is strongly associated with certain types of suppliers/entities
Silk fabric is made from silk thread; silk thread is produced through sericulture, a labor-intensive process of mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing, then spinning, throwing, twisting, and dying the yarn obtained from silkworm cocoons. Silk thread is sold either directly or through a distributer to silk fabric manufacturers.18“How Is Silk Made? From Silkworm to Silk Fabric: The Secrets of Silk Production.” Lalouette. lalouettesilk.com/blog/how-is-silk-made/#stifling. Once at a silk fabric manufacturer, the silk yarn is woven into fabric on a handloom or power loom. Once the woven fabric is finished, it is distributed and shipped to garment factories or overseas subcontractors for further production and manufacturing into clothing, sheets, curtains, and more.19Appelbaum, Richard and Gary Gereffi. “Power and Profits in the Apparel Commodity Chain,” Global Production: The Apparel Industry in the Pacific Rim (1994). www.researchgate.net/publication/247217768_Power_and_profits_in_the_apparel_commodity_chain The risk of forced labor and child labor is present at all nodes of the supply chain, including upstream inputs.
Silk Fabric Weaving
Transport and Shipping
Silk cocoons and silk thread are both inputs to silk fabric; forced labor and child labor have been documented in the production of both inputs.
Silk fabric is often used in garments.
Silk fabric is often used in bedding, parachutes, and bicycle tires.
Silk fabric may be used in surgical sutures.