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Supply Chain Characteristics that Impact Traceability

Traceability Takeaways

  • Silk threads are sold via different layers of middlemen and go through several processing stages before being woven into fabric, so there are multiple points of aggregation, co-mingling, and/or transformation across the supply chain. Because fibers are often blended to create specific types of thread, traceability approaches that allow for blending and mixing are likely to be the most feasible.
  • Both child labor and forced labor are present in the supply chain of silk thread in India. Labor risks are present in different nodes of the silk thread supply chain, including reeling, twisting and bleaching, and, later, weaving. While forensic testing may be applied to confirm the geographic origin of silk, additional traceability efforts may be needed to confirm the location of silk thread processing, especially if the thread is made from wastage.

Nature of Labor Rights Risk/Vulnerable Workers

Child Labor cited by U.S. Government

Risk of Forced Labor or Trafficking in Persons cited by other source

Documented presence of other vulnerable workers

Forced Labor or Trafficking in Persons cited by U.S. Government

Risk of Child Labor cited by other source

Documented presence of migrant workers

Documented presence or significant likelihood of third-party labor recruiters

Features of Production and Supply Chain

Large numbers of dispersed, unorganized, or informal small producers or other worksites

Multiple points of aggregation, co-mingling, and/or transformation across supply chain

Complex/opaque supply chains and/or lack of vertical integration

High degree of flexibility in procurement practices of downstream entities

  • Silk thread is often produced in small-scale operations. Silk production in Indonesia is characterized by informal home industries,7Pratama, Andi et.al. “Examining forest economies: A case study of silk value chain analysis in Wajo District”. Forest and Society, 2019, dx.doi.org/10.24259/fs.v3i1.4912. while many Indian households are engaged in the overall silk supply chain.8Roy, Chandan and Mukherjee, Sanchari. “Issues of Productivity, Employment and Exploitation in Artisanal Silk Industry of West Bengal.” Indian Journal of Social and Natural Sciences, 2015, dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2826492. This indicates a large number of dispersed and informal, small upstream actors in the silk thread supply chain.
  • There are many levels of middlemen in silk thread production,9Roy, Chandan and Mukherjee, Sanchari. “Issues of Productivity, Employment and Exploitation in Artisanal Silk Industry of West Bengal.” Indian Journal of Social and Natural Sciences, 2015, dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2826492. potentially creating various points of aggregation and co-mingling in the supply chain. Silk threads often go through different processing stages including reeling, twisting and bleaching, and weaving.

Distribution of Labor Risk in Various Production Areas

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 varies significantly based on geographic area of production

Scale or nature of risk is strongly associated with certain types of suppliers/entities

  • Labor risks are present in different nodes of silk thread supply chains, including reeling, twisting and bleaching, as well as weaving.

Linked Upstream and Downstream Risks

Risk in Nodes in Silk Thread Production

Silk thread is produced from the cocoons of silkworms. The process includes boiling the cocoons, then unravelling the cocoons to make long silk strands, which are then reeled together to make silk thread.10Egglestone, Ryan. “Silk-Making Is an Ancient Practice That Presents an Ethical Dilemma.” Discover Magazine, 2021, www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/silk-making-is-an-ancient-practice-that-presents-an-ethical-dilemma. The reeling of silk thread can be done either manually or by machines. The raw silk is then sold either through traders or directly to twisters.11Roy, Chandan and Mukherjee, Sanchari. “Issues of Productivity, Employment and Exploitation in Artisanal Silk Industry of West Bengal.” Indian Journal of Social and Natural Sciences, 2015, dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2826492. In some cases, the farmers are responsible for both the reeling process, and the twisting and bleaching of silk threads.12Pratama, Andi et.al. “Examining forest economies: A case study of silk value chain analysis in Wajo District”. Forest and Society, 2019, dx.doi.org/10.24259/fs.v3i1.4912. The raw silk then undergoes throwing and twisting into silk yarn, which is then dyed and ready to be sold either through middlemen or directly to customers, such as weavers, to turn yarns into silk fabric.13“How Is Silk Made? From Silkworm to Silk Fabric: The Secrets of Silk Production.” Lalouette, lalouettesilk.com/blog/how-is-silk-made/#stifling.

Reeling (i.e boiling silkworm cocoons, unraveling the cocoons and reeling to make silk thread)

Twisting and bleaching (i.e. throwing and twisting into fine silk threads/silk yarns, and dyeing)

Weaving

Transportation/Sale of raw silk

Associated Upstream Goods with Labor Risk

Silk thread is produced from silk cocoons, the production of which has been associated with forced and child labor.

Associated Downstream Goods and Consumer Sectors

Textiles Apparel and Luxury Goods

The primary use of silk thread is to produce silk fabric.

Top Global Countries

Silk yarn

  1. Romania14ITC Trade Map, List of exporters for the selected product in 2021. Product: 5004 Silk yarn (excluding that spun from silk waste and that put up for retail sale)., www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c5004%7c%7c%7c4%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1.
  2. China
  3. Vietnam
  4. Brazil
  5. Italy
  6. India
  7. Switzerland
  8. Tunisia
  9. Germany
  10. Japan

Yarn spun from silk waste

  1. China15ITC Trade Map, List of exporters for the selected product in 2021. Product: 5005 Yarn spun from silk waste (excluding that put up for retail sale). www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c5005%7c%7c%7c4%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1.
  2. Italy
  3. Thailand
  4. Germany
  5. India
  6. Switzerland
  7. Japan
  8. Vietnam
  9. Spain
  10. Denmark
  1. China16Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Crops and livestock products, 2021. www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL.
  2. India
  3. Uzbekistan
  4. Vietnam
  5. Thailand
  6. Brazil
  7. South Korea
  8. Iran
  9. Tajikistan
  10. Kyrgyzstan

Examples & Resources: Traceability Efforts Associated With Silk Thread

Footnotes