Tiny worms bring enormous hope - 18th August 2023

Overlooking the city of Antakya in Hatay province, Turkey, is the silk workshop of the Duman family. For decades, they've been involved in silk production, in an area located on China's ancient silk road.

Emel Duman has re-established the traditional manner of producing silk which isn't cruel to animals. She only uses the tiny silk cocoons once the silkworms have become adult moths and flown off. As a result, the cloth is known as 'peace silk'.

Emel Duman: "When I found out more about how silk is made, I realised that our elders, who sold silk cocoons, kept some and that at the end of the process, these were transformed into butterflies. Our elders, who wasted nothing and respected nature, used these cocoon remains to make clothes and sheets. So I said to myself that I should also produce in this way, without harming the silkworms, by letting them become butterflies."

But following February's disastrous earthquake, which resulted in 50,000 deaths, this family turned their attention to supporting others. Homeless, they were forced to move into the silk workshop and they allowed 100 other people, also without a roof over their heads, to base themselves there.

While the business, which functions as a cooperative, had around 70 staff – mainly women working from home – a mere seven are back. The Dumans were unsure if silk production could carry on.

Emel Duman: "After the earthquake, for two months we couldn't think about ourselves at all. All we could think about was how to help others, that we were alive and that it was our duty. After two months, we asked ourselves what we could do here in our production and above all, we received a lot of supportive calls, from people who wanted us to get back on our feet and get back to work and who wanted to place orders with us."

Support arrived from the International Organisation for Migration, which relocated Syrian refugees to help restart production in the family's business. Emel's now requested a 'protected designation of origin' for the 'peace silk of Hatay', which will add to its value.

Until a few months ago, this region was home to over 3,000 textile companies, employing 350,000 staff. These days, an ancient craft is bringing fresh hope for the future.