A Belated Mother's Day

Phew, after a hectic week, I made it to India to visit the unit where The Ethical Silk Company’s mulberry silk pillowcases and silk sleepwear are made, and to see the new collection which is currently underway. It will be an intense trip but it’s a privilege to visit this beautiful country and its people again. 

I still have a childish joy in packing my bags to go away and feeling the excitement starting to build. Well planned hand luggage is the top priority as even the smallest comfort can make the travel so much easier as the flights and layovers can really take it out of you. A silk wrap and eye mask are your best friends on a trip - silk is lightweight and temperature regulating helping keep you snug on flights and warm in chilly airports.

Now that I’m settled in Jaipur and I’m taking a few hours to rest and acclimatise (to the noise if nothing more) I realise that I won’t be in Ireland for Mother’s Day. My first Mother’s Day without seeing my two boys, and the first Mother’s Day in a very long time that I won’t see my own mother.

I’m not usually sentimental about these occasions. It’s a short trip and we can all enjoy a belated Mother’s Day when I get home, but that doesn’t stop you thinking about your mammy, and where would you be without her.

My mother is responsible for planting the original seed of an idea of The Ethical Silk Company. When we were growing up, she slept with a silk scarf over her pillowcase, and encouraged my sister and I to do the same as it was so good for our skin and hair. That’s what led to a lifelong love of silk and exploring the idea of making silk pillowcases and silk baby crib sheets. Fast-forward to now, and arriving in India to see our new Ethical Silk patterns and styles in production, fills me with pride. Thank you Mum for showing me the beauty of silk so early on in life, who knew it would sculpt my life so much!

And I’ll be missing my own little helpers too but they can just have an extra day to get their homemade card count up (one card for an occasion never suffices, it’s usually 6 or 7). So enjoy your mums and enjoy being a mum on Mother’s day. It’s the hardest job in the world, but I wouldn’t be without it.