Switzerland’s Silk Road is a slow one

The worms and the people behind Swiss Silk have something in common – both are motivated. For the silkworms it’s a matter of eating enough mulberry leaves to complete their lifecycle. For the producers, it’s a make or break moment to keep their tiny sector alive. “When they eat, it sounds like fine rain. It’s the loveliest sound. The older the worms get, the better you hear it – especially when they’re all eating and you stand perfectly still,” says silkworm breeder Manuela Friedrich. She’s one of about 30 producers behind Swiss Silk, established in 2009 to revive the delicate industry – which thrived in Switzerland between the 17th and 19th centuries. Swiss Silk president Ueli Ramseier – also a textile engineer and farmer – lights up when he talks about the product. “I’ve been into silk since 1985,” says Ramseier, who once worked in the silk-printing industry. His travels have also taken him along the legendary Silk Road. Like many Swiss Silk producers, raising …
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– SWI swissinfo.ch