In Cambodia, Spinning Silk into Gold

Spinning silk into gold is not just a fairytale. At Golden Silk, an artisan enterprise in Siem Reap, Cambodia, a small group of close Nest supporters uncovered the “alchemy” of an exceptional craft. Golden Silk’s luxurious silks are ecologically produced from the yellow silkworm, native to Southeast Asia and particularly common in the northwest of Cambodia.

Innovation aside, Golden Silk is not immune to the struggles of the handmade to keep pace with an increasingly mechanized industry. The rare yellow worm silk has practically disappeared due to its very low yield (15 times less than that of the white silk), which forbids any mechanization in its transformation process. As a result, the weaving of yellow silk into “gold” is an extremely labor intensive and highly skilled method of textile production. For Golden Silk, and for the Nest family, the extra work is well worth it. Surely, this is the meaning of true luxury?