textiles
Cinnamon Bark Silk Lambas
Dimensions
LARGE: 1.8m wide x 1.8m long; MEDIUM 90cm wide x 2m long
Product Details
100% soie sauvage
Colour: Cinnamon bark
Sizes: Exact dimensions are approximate as all items are handmade.
Madwa has developed a unique range of lambas, the traditional Malagasy textile, in cotton and silk. Weaving is one of the country's most respected crafts and Madwa has partnered with small groups of master weavers in the central and southern highlands who specialise in traditional lambas. Their intricate weaving follows designs and practices passed down through generations.
The silk lambas, traditionally associated with royalty, are made from raw silk or soie sauvage created by the endemic Landibe silkworm. The soie sauvage comes from the cocoon of this silkworm which feeds on the leaves of the Tapia tree (Uapaca bojeri). Cocoons are harvested twice a year and the chrysalis, eaten by local communities, provides a valuable source of protein. The empty cocoon is dyed using natural pigments before being spun and hand woven by local co-operatives of silk weavers. This process unchanged for generations, provides income for the families but also protects the Tapia woodlands and their surrounding natural environment which is under constant threat from short term agricultural practices.
