The great promises of Asclepiad, the Silk of America
Asclepiad made a remarkable entry into the textile market six years ago.America silk, with acclaimed insulating properties, quickly attracted large industries around the world.The expectations were enormous for this local plant, a vegetable spare solution at the down.After the bankruptcy and the difficulties of course, will this native fiber be able to fill its major promises?
We find her everywhere in the fields.It grows in such large quantities that farmers have long considered it a bad grass.
Pour moi, l'asclépiade, c’était pas une plante que je désirais voir dans mes champs
, admet Daniel Allard, fondateur et ancien président de la Coopérative Monark, premier regroupement d’une centaine de producteurs québécois d'asclépiades.
L'asclépiade pousse sur de nombreux terrains du Québec.Photo : Lasclay
Then, a partner convinced the farmer of the potential of this indigenous plant that was pushing on his ground.He embarked on the adventure in 2012."I found it interesting to give the plant a territory that fundamentally already belonged to it," he said.
Asclepia's silk is picked from the silky egret in the seed. C’est pour cette raison qu’on la surnomme soyer du Québec
ou soie d’Amérique
.It produces a resistant, hydrophobic and light fiber, an excellent insulation.
L'asclépiade est essentielle à la survie des papillons monarques. La plante est la seule nourriture des chenilles.Photo : iStock
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