Silk, a natural protein fiber, has been prized as a textile material since ancient times. It is primarily derived from the silkworm, a moth that feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves. After completing its development, the silkworm spins a continuous thread of silk to encase itself in a cocoon
Silk formation is a fascinating process. As the silkworm prepares to pupate, it extrudes a liquid silk protein from its mouth. This silk protein solidifies rapidly in the air, forming a fine filament. The silkworm continually rotates its body, wrapping the silk filament around itself in layers until an oval cocoon is formed. The size and weight of the cocoon vary depending on the silkworm breed and rearing conditions.
To obtain silk, cocoons are typically soaked in hot water to soften the sericin, a gummy substance that binds the silk filaments together. The silk filaments are then unwound from the cocoons using manual or mechanical methods. The unwound silk is further processed, such as reeling and weaving, to create various silk products.
