Natural Lac Resin
Sticklac
Natural Lac Resin | Raw Material for Seedlac
and Shellac Processing
Sticklac is a natural lac resin raw material harvested from lac-host tree branches, widely used in the production of Seedlac, Shellac, and other lac-based industrial products.
Introduction
The lac insect, laccifer lacca (kerr), like other scale insects of the super-family coccoidea, is naturally parastic on certain trees and shrubs. In the larval stage it is about 0.5 mm in length, and sufficiently mobile to crawl along the branches of trees to find fress succulent twigs. When it has fixed its position and inserted its proboscis into the tree, it secretes a resinous substance around the branches and twigs of their host trees. The harvested material consists of lac resin along with natural colouring matter, lac wax, insect remains and other impurities.
With its natural origin and versatile processing applications, Sticklac plays an important role in the lac resin industry, supplying the essential material for further purification and refinement.
Processing of Sticklac
1. Collection
Resin-encrusted twigs and branches are harvested from lac-host trees.
2. Crushing & Sieving
The collected material is crushed, and unwanted wood fragments, dust and other foreign matter are separated.
3. Washing
The crushed lac is washed to remove soluble colouring matter and additional impurities.
4. Seedlac Production
The cleaned and processed material becomes Seedlac, an intermediate product for shellac manufacturing.
5. Shellac Manufacturing
Seedlac is further processed using suitable manufacturing methods to produce different grades of Shellac.