“Strength is one of the most interesting characteristics of silk,” declares an online ad for this precious fabric. “At first touch, you might be fooled into thinking silk is fragile but it’s actually one of the strongest fabrics there is. It may be elegant and gentle on your skin, but underneath the shine it’s brimming with power.”
This may be true. But not in the ways that consumers probably assume. Silk’s beauty and softness stand in stark contrast with the harsh reality of silk production, including the bonded labour that has long been associated with its processing.
Silk is a prominent part of the cultural heritage of Central Asia – which includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – where the fabric is much sought after. While silk production in the region dates back centuries, it intensified during the Soviet era, as did cotton, which is also indigenous to Central Asia. Both became part of rural inhabitants’ rhythm of life, not by choice, but via the Soviet Union’s all-encompassing state-planned economy.
