From cocoon to campus couture: How Thrissur Vimala College students weaved a silk dream

The team behind ‘V-Weave’ at the Silkworm Breeding Unit at Vimala College, Thrissur. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

From growing mulberry plants and rearing silkworms to harvesting cocoons – and eventually weaving silk sarees – students of the Department of Zoology at Vimala College in Thrissur, Keralam, are weaving an unusual entrepreneurial dream.

Students have launched ‘V-Weave’, a start-up sericulture campus that aims to take them on a fascinating journey from farm to loom.

The initiative launched by the Department of Zoology has already marked a major milestone with the first harvest of silk cocoons. Students are growing mulberry trees and rearing silkworms at the university’s off-campus facility in Padukkad, producing silk cocoons and opening what the college describes as a new chapter in campus entrepreneurship.

With this initiative, Vimala College has also earned the distinction of becoming the first college campus in the state to take up silkworm rearing and silkworm production, says Professor Feeba Rani John, head of the Department of Zoology.

Chandy Oommen MLA, who recently launched the V-Weave and the first silk cocoon harvest on the university campus, called for the development of a “silk economy” in Kerala, saying sericulture has the potential to become an important source of business and employment.

“Kerala needs a sericulture economy. Sericulture initiatives capable of contributing to the economy of the state should come from our campuses. Sericulture and sericulture are of immense importance in the self-employed sector,” he said.

The silk economy

A strong silk economy could span the entire value chain – from mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing to yarn production, weaving, design, branding, marketing and export. Other colleges should take inspiration from this initiative, he said, adding that an integrated mission similar to the Silk Economy mission, focusing on colleges across the state, should be explored.

The college hopes V-Weave will eventually take students beyond cocoon making and into the world of silk weaving.

“Our aim is to take students from the campus into the silk saree industry and make them self-reliant. The initiative will also help develop entrepreneurial awareness among the students,” Principal Prof. Been Jose’s sister.

Organizers claim that V-Weave is the first sericulture campus startup in the country to emerge from a group of zoology students. The students bred the V1 mulberry variety and used a double hybrid clutch of silkworms for the first cocoon harvest.

“Our ultimate goal is to create a Kerala silk saree campus,” said Professor Feeba Rani John, architect of start-up V-Weave.

The project was launched with the support and cooperation of the Central Silk Board, Silk Mark Organization of India and Kerala government’s poverty alleviation department, she said.

The initiative is expected to offer students a hands-on understanding of the entire silk production chain while opening opportunities in entrepreneurship, sustainable agriculture and value-added manufacturing.

For the Zoology students of Vimala College, the journey has just begun – from tiny silkworms and fragile cocoons to what will one day become the distinctive Kerala silk sarees woven from the campus dream.

Published – 8 Sep 2026 14:23 IST