About Stick Lac:
Sticklac is the resinous secretion of a kind of tiny insect known as Laccifer lacca. Stick Lac (Sticklac) is a resinous protective secretion of the lac insects on the hosting trees. Sticklac is collected as the minor forest produce and cultivated since time immemorial in Vietnam, and lac cultivation is an important source of income for livelihood of the forest and sub-forest dwellers of central and northern Vietnam. Sticklac still enjoys the monopoly of non-toxic, biodegradable, natural and safe resin and used for applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and surface coatings for variety of uses in industries. Vietnam is the second largest producer, processor and exporter of the lac, having average production of 10, 000 tons for the last 5 years.
During processing of lac, various economically important by-products are obtained. The major component of lac is resin (65%) followed by two important by-products, viz. lac dye (1%) and lac wax (5–6%). The lac resin is processed into various value-added forms as per the need of the different industrial applications. Similarly, the dye and wax find its application in various sectors such as pharmaceutical, textile, etc.
Most of Stick Lac (Sticklac) cultivators in Vietnam are tribal people. Their traditional cultivation method is to inoculate lac insects on to the hosting trees, which could be perennial trees or annual bushes. The cultivators must choose the right hosting trees scattered in the forest. Besides breeding lac insects, choosing the right hosting trees is important in their business.
After feeding lac insects on to the hosting trees, and leave it for swarming and come back to harvest it after five to six – months. The harvesting works will involve cutting down branches which bearing lac and tying broodlac to new hosting trees. The harvested host trees are left alone for one to two years so that new branches can come out.
Stick Lac (Sticklac) is the raw material to produce seedlac and shellac which is being applied in many other industries, such as: painting, food, pharmaceuticals. Seedlac is obtained after crushing, grinding, sieving and washing Stick Lac (Sticklac). Afterwards, shellac are produced by a process of filtration in moltent state or in solvent.