Our Organic Farm-to-Factory Process

Successful organic farming is one of the keys to producing high-quality silk—without leaving a large and lasting impact on the environment. Our third installment of this silk-sourcing series focuses on our primary silk partner’s organic farming practices. 

What Makes a Farm Biodynamic?

We’re very proud that our Uwila Warrior products have a USDA Organic certification, and we’ll explore what that means and why it’s a value we hold dear with our ongoing commitment to sustainability. The first thing to know is that a biodynamic farm uses the following practices: intercropping, natural pest control, and push-and-pull methods.

Intercropping promotes soil diversity by alternating crops between rows of mulberry trees. This practice increases the soil’s porosity and nutrient density, with greater aeration and water distribution—think loamy soil instead of dry and compacted dirt for longer-term soil health. This supports the land’s resilience and readiness for future harvests.

Instead of using harmful pesticides, natural pest control uses naturally sourced deterrents like spraying plants with chile-infused water, painting tree trunks with a blend of garlic and lime sulfur. Push-and-Pull methods are also geared around repelling pests and insects: this is a practice that involves planting insect-friendly plants around mulberry fields to draw pollination toward the plants (and take them away from mulberry trees!)

Unlike traditional farming methods, biodynamic farming goes beyond organic, treating the farm as its own living organism. Using a closed-loop system, it prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, and lunar planting cycles. This is a holistic approach designed to minimize or eliminate waste. This also includes any animals on the farms—like the cows on our partners’ land.

This is intercropping—notice the plants  situated between rows of mulberry trees!

Maintaining the Demo-Farm

The demo farm is a community stronghold. It serves as a training ground for new farmers via hands-on, experiential learning. This education uplifts the community and results in prosperous harvests—many hands make light work, as the saying goes. Additionally, the demo farm provides an educational experience that quite literally grows future stewards of the land, which is essential to keep operations running smoothly.

Another part of the farm we love is Demo Farm, where new crop combinations are tested to see how the soil responds following specific harvests, how efficient and effective—or not!—the natural pest-repellents are. This helps farmers learn organic cultivation methods, how to apply compost, and of course, helps foster a high-quality yield.

A small herd of cattle plays an essential role on the farm. Cows produce a key ingredient (manure) that is composted, then combined with other organic matter  to make nutrient-rich material that enriches the earth and soil without the need for synthetic fertilizers. Also in the fertilizer: silkworm excrement, wood chips from felled mulberry trees, and, from inside cocoons, the dead pupae, which are sometimes used in cow feed. This is all what we mean when we call it a closed-loop system.

Additionally, cows produce methane, a natural byproduct of their digestion—the grazing generates gas—and this gas is captured in a biogas tank. This stores the gas and converts it into a clean energy source that provides power for cooking appliances at the farm, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Grazing on grass to fill the biodynamic gas tanks