MARKET STUDY CONCERNING THE PROCESSING OF UNREELING SILK COCOONS INTO HANDICRAFTS

Abstract

The paper presents specialists’ opinion upon the processing of unreeling silk cocoons into handicrafts. A sample of fine art designers, 100 % women, of which 95 % of 20 to 30 years old, belonging to 12 counties, of which 75 % from the Southern Romania was used for opinion testing. The answers to specific questionnaires were statistically processed according to marketing research methods. All the interviewed subjects like the decorative products manually achieved, because these are unique and original products (55%), involve creativeness and preciosity (15%), reflect material color and texture (10%). All the questioned individuals (100 %) prefer natural raw materials for producing handicrafts. About 70 % of the individuals know that silk cocoons can be successfully used for producing handicrafts. At the question: “What kind of handicrafts could be produced from silk cocoons?” , the interviewed persons answered 40% cloth accessories (necklaces, bracelets, belts), 20 % decorative pictures 10 % art products, 5% textile “jewels”, 5% original tapestries, 5% clothes, 10% textile materials. The questioned individuals’ preferences for processing silk cocoons into handicrafts were the following one: 80% to create decorative pictures; other 8% to produce textile materials; 50% to design knitted belts; 70% to design sewed belts; 45% to create unique necklaces; 35% to design original flower brooches. A proportion of 40-45% of designers is keen to learn how to design knitted and sewed belts, necklaces, flower brooches and pictures. The purchase preferences of the questioned individuals are mainly represented by decorative pictures named “Portait” and “Story” and cloth accessories. As a conclusion, unreeling silk cocoons could be successfully used as natural raw material for producing various handicrafts in the sericicultural farms, contributing to production diversification, the increase of productivity and profitability, because handicrafts involve creativeness and imagination, produce a higher value added and are better marketed.