The Art of silk weaving in Cambodia

Silk weaving is an art in Cambodia that has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. The country is even one of the world’s most renowned producers of this natural fiber, primarily used in textile production. During your stay in Cambodia, you will have the opportunity to visit workshops and admire the entire process that transforms this refined silk into beautifully crafted products.

Silk weaving Technique in Cambodia

To obtain this natural fiber, Cambodian weavers—most of whom are historically and still today women—use the cocoons that silkworms spin during their transition from larvae to butterfly.

When the butterfly first takes flight after its final moult, the silk fiber produced by the silkworm to form the cocoon detaches and is carefully collected to be spun into thread.

This silk is then placed in hot water to extract a single, continuous thread. The thread is then immersed in another hot, soapy water bath to remove the gum coating its surface. The threads are then placed on looms and dyed in various colored baths. The process of creating a finished silk piece can take up to 6 months.

Cambodian Silk Farms

There are several silk workshops in Cambodia, particularly in the northwestern region near Battambang and Siem Reap. At Angkor Silk Farm, located on the road between these two major cities, Golden Silk Farm in Banteay Srei, and Soieries du Mékong, which collaborates with the Enfants du Mékong association in Banteay Chhmar, many of the weavers join these businesses or NGOs to learn the trade and support their families. In Koh Dach, or Silk Island, near Phnom Penh, the craft is passed down from family to family over generations.

At Angkor Silk Farm, part of the Artisans of Angkor project, you can explore a vast 5-hectare site filled with mulberry trees. These plants are essential for silk production as their leaves serve as the primary food for the silkworms during their growth into cocoons. It’s worth noting that each silkworm consumes about one kilogram of mulberry leaves per month.

At Golden Silk Farm, they explain that the entire cycle—from the birth of the silkworm, through its various moults, to when the cocoon can be harvested—is completed in 43 days. This allows for 8 to 9 cycles per year. Here, as in many other silk farms, 100 kg of cocoons yields about 8.5 kg of processed silk. Great care must be taken to avoid damaging the silk during this delicate process. The entire procedure is also well explained on-site.

At Soieries du Mékong, they blend Cambodian silk craftsmanship with French artistry. The scarves produced here are designed in France. After obtaining the usable and malleable silk, it takes between 8 to 12 hours for a weaver to craft one scarf, which is then sold to tourists or customers in both France and Cambodia.