On December 16, 2022, Uganda sent it’s first silk yarn brand samples known as Usilk for testing in European market.
The major target was to meet the specifications for Grade 6A which is the best quality silk globally and to as well begin commercial production.
The major aim is to start commercializing Uganda’s Silk industry to the international scale which currently employs over 100 Ugandns, especially youth.


Uganda currently through the Tropical Institute of Development Innovations (TRIDI), is producing 11 grades of Silk ranging from F, E, D, C, B, A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A which is pending perfection.
Grade 6A is the best quality of silk globally and only 1-3% of the silk produced in the world meets this grade.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at TRIDI Headquarters, Clet Wandui Masiga, the ED of TRIDI who also doubles as the Principal Investigator of the Sericulture Project sad that the results from the international market is promising.
“We are within the commercial grades. Our target was however Grade A,” he said


Although Usilk did not make it to the higher grade of 6A, Silk engineers and investors and entrepreneurs from Europe where the test was done, he said are coming to Uganda next month to visit Uganda factory, “so they can see cocoon quality, machine and production environment,”
“This way they can provide suggestion in order to improve the quality to produce Grade 6A silk yarn,” he sad
“We did the research and we are convinced that our mulberry production is the best globally. Our research also demonstrates that the rearing conditions are also the best. We are also using the best or latest next generation processing equipment and as such we expected Grade 6A. We decided that we shall build our own capacity by training young engineers to produce the yarn and they have done it first time,”


The project, he said is producing a product that has a market and “we shall get revenue for our own livelihoods and for socio-economic development of Uganda,”
What’s Grade A Silk?
Masiga says Grade A silk is the best equality silk with long strands, with a luminous pearl white colour that is free from impurities.
He noted that it glistens in the light and a single thread of silk can stretch to kilometer in length in its natural form.
It is lightweight and when woven into a silk fabric it keeps the fabric breathable and completely smooth to touch.
“In grade A, Silk is classified into A- 6A, and the higher the number, the better the quality. Silk grade 6A account for approximately 3% and grade 5A account for approximately 7%. Uganda’s target was to be in the top 3% which target must be achieved,” he noted.


Silk quality standards are ranked according to the uniformity of yarn, minimal impurities, minimal fluff, tensile strength and elongation.
“Our Usilk count/denier size was 25.2D which was excellent considering the specifications used in the production was 19-33 denier. We had high cuts per kg of silkyarn and more impurities,”
“When we received the results we immediately gathered our technical teams to do a quick evaluation,” he explained.


“We are very proud of these results and we have produced this within the target timeframe. This is as a result of Financial Support from President Yoweri Museveni, to Scientists through the Innovation Fund. It is the first project of the 17 innovation fund projects funded in FY2017/2018 to produce a commercial product,” he said
“We are grate full to Parliament of Uganda that has continued to appropriate funds to this project and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for releasing the funds. We are also grateful to the relevant government of Uganda Ministries and agencies that have ensured the released funds are transferred to TRIDI and are used for the intended purposes,” he said
TRIDE Capacity Heightened
In an exclusive interview with DaParrot, Emmanuel Walimbwa, the Head Partnerships and Capacity Development at TRIDI said that their staffs have been trained and they are still perfecting their skills.


“The cocoons used had over stayed resulting in more cuts. The water used was both dirty and hard water. The hardness of water affects essentially the surface characteristics of the raw silk colour, luster softness etc. Silk reeled in hard water poses difficulty in dyeing since a greater quantity of soap is to be used for degumming,” he said
According to Walimbwa, rain water is not considered suitable for reeling.


“Even in the factory itself hard water creates a buildup that is difficult to clean weekly on the machines with detergent and this leftover build up and affects the silk yarn. Some of the cocoons used was produced using mulberry that had not been managed well due to several management challenges experienced between June 2021- to December 2022. Cocoon harvest and storage was not excellent resulting into molds or stains,”
“These stains affect the final result. The processing factory is not completed well and needs facelift which will improve the production environment. At present the walls are not plastered and there is a lot of dust that enters the production facility,”


TRIDI, he said will begin working on these challenges to produce Usilk grade 6A, the world’s best.
“This is to ensure we get the best price. Additionally, once we target the best quality, it means that even if we do not get the target, all our silk will be sold as per other lower to quality grades from F, E, D, C, B, A, 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A. The lowest price for the lowest grade of silk yarn is $30 per kg,”
What Uganda Stands to Benefit from 6A
A meter of Silk Fabric costs between$10 (Shs38000) and $20 (Shs76000)
Masiga says once they perfect the grade 6A production skills, the current 2300 mulberry acreage shall produce approximately 100 Metric tons of silk yarn which if we maintain Grade 6A.


“We shall earn $12m (Sh43.2Bn) annually. If, however we produce average grade we should be able to $5m (Shs18Bb) annually. At this acreage, the project will directly employ 3000 people. The minimum wage bill of these 3000 people shall be Shs10.8Bn.
This, he said will translate into taxes totalling to ShsShs2Bn annually.
A kilogram of yarn produces 10 meters of silk cloth/fabric. The price for silk fabric ranges between $10 and $20 per meter depending on grade
“Our target is the best grade 6A to earn $120 per kg. We should not have a problem to get the best after all we produce the best mulberry and best cocoons,”
Walimbwa reiterates that the quality begins from the garden.


“To get the best quality brand, the formula begins from the garden followed by the best breeds of silkworm, then best rearing conditions, cocoon handling and processing,” he said.
“Our partners, the Chinese engineers have returned to China after training us in basic production skills. We shall continue to enhance our skills tailored based on the market specifications,” he added.
Walimbwa notes that TRIDI has a capacity of serving the entire country Silk needs should government help them in their current expansion policy.


“Project aimed at expanding 50,000 acres from 2300 acres and creating a direct employment of 300,000 jobs. Two factories one of Kweeni operating, Sheema is not operational, challenges, electricity, needs a new bigger transformer, we are shall purchase it, there few parts that have not been installed,” he said.
