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The Eri cocoons are open mouthed and not composed of continuous filaments, which are not realable. But, they form a good raw material for spinning. The treatment of cocoons and process of spinning are as follows;

1) CLEANING OF COCOONS:

Eri empty cocoons should be clean and free from dry chrysalis skin and last larval skin. Such clean cocoons contain 100% silk and fetch high price. Cocoons can also be cleaned by Corytor cocoon reverser, a simple machine by which the cocoons are turned inside out and all waste material eliminated.

2) STIFLING:

Cocoons set aside for spinning are stifled to preserve them for longer period without discoloration. Stifling is usually done by exposing the cocoons to sun for one or two days.

3) DECUMMING:

Cocoons are first boiled in a solution of soda of potash. Leaf ashes, wood ashes, wheat stalk ashes, paddy straw ashes green papaya leaf etc. can also be use for dissolving the adhering gum round the filament. The quantity of soda to be used depends on the quality of the water and the duration of boiling. A minimum of 10% of soda by weight of the cocoons may be used after observing the behaviour of material. The test to determine the sufficiency of soda is done by drawing the filament by fingers. If the filament comes off easily to the pull, it may be assumed that the boiling is sufficient, over boiling weakens the filament and results in the layers of the layers of the filament coming off in lumps.

After boiling, the cocoons are squeezed until a large part of the water is rung out. They are, then spread and dried. The cocoons, thus prepared, can be spun in wet condition with 'Takli' and in semi dry condition with hand charkha (spinning wheel). During the course of spinning, though it becomes dry, it should always be kept wet by sprinkling water.

4) SPINNING APPLIANCES:

i) TAKLI: This is the simplest and common method of spinning eri cocoons. It has one spindle with weighted end. To, this, the free end of the thread out of the dry or wet eri cocoon is attached and then spun around with a twist of the hand.

ii) CHARKHA: In Charkha, the twist is provided by wheel. Otherwise, the operation is same as Takli.

iii) MOTORIZED SPINNING MACHINE: This machine is the most advance and recently developed machine by CSRTI, Ban galore. The machine is operate by electrical motor which make faster and very effective in high productiveness.

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