textiles
Textured Silk Lambas
Dimensions
LARGE: 90cm wide x 2.2m long; MEDIUM: 45cm wide x 2.2m long
Product Details
100% soie sauvage
Colours: sand, stone
Sizes: dimensions are approximate as all items are hand woven
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 then dyed using natural pigments before being spun and hand woven by local communities of silk weavers. This process unchanged for generations, provides income for families but also protects the Tapia woodlands and their surrounding natural environment which is under constant threat from short term agriculutural practices.
