Norbulingka Institute - Sidhpur
The weaving is the newly introduced division at Norbulingka Institute. Started in 2010, the weaving workshops aim to design distinctive Norbulingka products. The cloth produced here is primarily made from unbleached organic cotton and pure silk imported from the Indian states of Assam, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar. Indigenous silk, which is of superior quality to classic mulberry silk, is used for weaving while carefully maintaining its texture and character. The Tibetan way of silk harvesting includes a method where the fiber is collected once the worm vacates the cocoon, unlike the commercial practice of boiling the cocoon for a longer thread while the worm is still in, thus killing the worm. Hence the Tibetan process is regarded as the most sustainable and non-violent method. The weaving initiative of Norbulingka was taken to revive the Tibetan tradition and also cater to clothing products at a reasonable price. Apart from weaving cloth, Norbulingka also presents handwoven seasonal shawls. The shawls costs around Rupees - 5,000.
