The world?s lightest silk sari and scarf are under production, in a small house on the outskirts of Bangalore to impress US President Barack Obama. The products are to be presented to him on his visit to India later this year.
A silk farmer, Gurum R Narayanappa, has woven a silk scarf measuring 1 square metre, weighing 30 gram. The scarf was woven in 20 days by Narayanappa and his wife Kamalamma using silk fibre from just two cocoons. The couple is now in the process of weaving a silk sari with gold zari measuring six metre in length and 44 inches in width. The sari, prepared with silk from 3-4 cocoons, would weigh 70 gram. Both the products are said to be the world?s lightest silk garment with gold zari and will be sent for Guinness Book of World records, according to TH Somashekhar, former director of Central Silk Board.
The gift to Obama is expected to better the image of the Indian silk products in the US fashion industry. In fact the US tops the chart with regard to silk exports from India. But in recent years silk exports to the US has been declining at alarming levels.
The silk exports to the US declined by a whopping 29% year-on-year in 2009-10 to Rs 417 crore, accounting for 14.5% of the country?s total silk exports of Rs 2,871 crore. But still, the US is the top importer of Indian silk followed by Hong Kong and the UK?which accounts for 12% and 10.7% of the country?s total silk exports.