Profit-making KSIC Filature Factory powers GI-tagged Mysore Silk production
By M.T. Yogesh Kumar & B.C. Thimmaiah
A Government-owned Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) Filature Factory in T. Narasipur, the primary supplier of yarn for the famed GI-tagged Mysore Silk sarees woven in Mysuru and Channapatna, is staring at an uncertain future.
Despite posting an annual net profit of Rs. 118 crore, speculation over its possible closure has created anxiety among employees, as neither the District Administration nor the Ministers have issued any official clarification.
Established in 1912 during the reign of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar to produce and supply high-quality silk yarn for Mysore Silk sarees, it has consistently supplied yarn to meet growing demand, earning a reputation for quality and reliability, for 114 years.
Threat to legacy
Now, the century-old institution appears to be under a cloud, fuelling fears that it may gradually fade into history. The livelihoods of more than 196 employees working at the unit are at stake.
The unit is spread across 13.11 acres, of which six acres house the factory building. Recently, 5.08 acres of vacant land on the premises were handed over to the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports for the construction of a taluk stadium.
Employees and residents allege that the land transfer is part of a larger move to shut down the yarn manufacturing unit. The development has sparked protests, with the issue now taking on political overtones.
Surviving where others failed
In the past, silk yarn manufacturing units were set up at T. Narasipur, Santhemaralli in Chamarajanagar district, Tholahunse in Davanagere and Hampapura in H.D. Kote Taluk to support Mysore Silk saree production.
Today, however, only the T. Narasipur unit remains functional, while the others have long been shut down.
The closed units depended entirely on borewell water, which led to frequent rusting and breakdown of machinery. The deterioration in yarn quality eventually resulted in falling demand and closure.
In contrast, T. Narasipur unit has sustained operations over the decades. Regarded as the ‘mother unit’ of Mysore Silk saree production, the T. Narasipur facility draws flowing water from Kapila River, located about 1.5 kms away.
Water is supplied to the factory through a brass pipeline, with the unit consuming nearly five lakh litres daily. Employees say an uninterrupted water supply is crucial for maintaining yarn quality and the smooth functioning of the machinery.
They fear that the proposed construction of a stadium within the premises could disrupt this vital resource and affect operations.
The stadium will not affect KSIC silk yarn manufacturing unit. The land has been sanctioned for the long-demanded taluk stadium and the government has handed it over to the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports. The claim that the factory will shut down is only a rumour. The construction of the stadium will benefit athletes in T. Narasipur and help them achieve success in the field of sports. —Bhaskar Nayak, Assistant Director, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports
Entire 13.11 acres crucial for silk production: Staff
Employees have strongly opposed the allocation of 5.08 acres of factory land for the construction of a taluk stadium, stating that the silk yarn unit requires the space for its essential operations.
They explained that nearly one acre is needed for coal storage and about 1.5 acres for coal cinder ash disposal after being used to heat up the boilers. Additional land is required for a canteen and vehicle parking facilities.
The unit also needs around one acre to set up an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) to recycle used water, besides maintaining a mandatory green zone covering 33 percent of the factory area to retain its prestigious GI tag. The green cover also absorbs heat generated from the cocoon boilers.
Without these facilities, they warned, both the factory’s operations and certification could be at risk. They further cautioned that failure to maintain the green zone could lead to the loss of the coveted GI tag for Mysore Silk. Hence, they have demanded that the proposed stadium be constructed at an alternative location.
Employees’ overtime work spikes profit from Rs. 48 cr. to Rs. 116 cr.
The T. Narasipur Filature Factory has a workforce of 196 employees, comprising 96 men and 100 women.
Every month, it procures between 25,000 and 30,000 kg of quality silk cocoons worth Rs. 3 crore to Rs. 3.5 crore from Government-run cocoon markets in Mysuru, Ramanagara, Sidlaghatta and Kollegal.
These cocoons are processed into silk yarn used for weaving Mysore Silk sarees.
Daily, the unit processes 1,400 to 1,600 kg of silk cocoons. During regular working hours from 7.30 am to 4 pm, employees produce around 190 kg of silk yarn. With overtime extending up to 6.30 pm, daily production increases to 230 to 240 kg, resulting in a monthly output of 6,000 to 7,000 kg of yarn.
The yarn is mainly supplied to Mysuru’s saree production centre, with additional consignments sent to the weaving unit in Channapatna.
The unit recorded a net profit of Rs. 48 crore last year. This year, aided by increased production through overtime, profits have risen sharply to Rs. 116 crore.
The factory has also stockpiled 62,000 kg of silk cocoons, enough to sustain operations for the next four to five months.
How KSIC unit makes yarn for 15,000 sarees a month
Each saree requires 350 to 420 grams of silk yarn. With its monthly output, the unit supplies enough yarn for more than 15,000 sarees, reinforcing its status as the ‘mother unit’ of Mysore Silk.
Step 1: Drying and preserving cocoons
Once procured from the market, the cocoons are dried using hot air machines. They are then subjected to steam treatment, which kills the larvae inside without damaging the cocoon, enabling storage for four to five months. If left untreated, the larvae would develop into moths, break through the cocoon and render it unsuitable for yarn extraction.
For reeling, the cocoon must remain semi-floating in water due to the weight of the dead larva. If it sinks completely, yarn cannot be extracted.
Step 2: Sorting cocoons
In the sorting stage, high-quality cocoons are separated from defective ones. Double cocoons containing two larvae are unsuitable for yarn production. Cut cocoons and inferior ones, often discoloured due to fungal infection, are also rejected. Only premium cocoons are selected for reeling to ensure the yarn meets the standard quality range of 26 to 28 denier (a unit of measurement that determines thickness, weight and durability of individual fibres or filaments in textiles).
Step 3: Boiling and reeling
The selected cocoons are boiled at high temperatures, which are gradually reduced during the process. Yarn extraction begins in the reeling unit, where threads are wound onto small reels.
These are later transferred to larger reels in the re-reeling section, preparing the silk for twisting. The yarn is then twisted, packed into 20-kg sealed bags and stored in the warehouse before being supplied to the saree production centre.
The unit introduced semi-automatic machines in 1984. In 2017 and 2019, it further modernised operations by importing advanced automatic reeling machines worth Rs. 5 crore from China. These upgrades have reduced manual labour and significantly enhanced production efficiency.
This post was published on February 27, 2026 6:10 pm