Silk is one of the firstborn fiber known to mankind. It is a
natural protein fiber, which has been used in the manufacture of textiles for
at least five thousand years. About 90 percent of commercial silk fibers
used in the textile industry come from the Lepidopteran silkworms of the
Bombycidae family. In the textile industry, it is generally called
“mulberry silk”.
Today,
silk is considered a first-class textile material on the planet due to its high
tensile strength, gloss, and ability to bind chemical dyes. Despite facing
stiff competition from man-made fibers, silk has maintained its supremacy in
the production of high-end luxury apparel and high-quality specialty products.
History
An old Chinese princess was
thought to be the first to discover the process of making silk weaving from the
filament fiber produced by silkworms. Although this was considered a
legendary story, the first country to manufacture silk fabric was China. According
to Kadolph, Langford, Hollen and Saddler (nineteen ninety-three), China was the
only country that generated silk for more or less three thousand years before
spreading to other Asian countries. In our days, the Japanese country
manufactures more silk than any other country on the planet.
Development
According to legendary Chinese
history, around 2,700 BC Empress Hsi Ling Shi [Sigh-Ling-She] sat under a
blackberry tree drinking tea. He began to play with a silk see me cocoon
and discovered that it was made of a fragile thread. The empress learned
to weave silk and make sumptuous canvases.
Archaeological
evidence points out that silk production may have started as early as 5,000 BC
- that's more than 7,000 years ago. Sericulture is the breeding of
silkworms and the production of silk. The old Chinese kept the details of
sericulture secret - a secret coveted by the rest of the planet. Currently
silk is generated eminently in China, India and Japan.
Silkworms,
which are really caterpillars, feed on mulberry leaves, mulberry leaves, and
just mulberry leaves. They never stop eating. That means that they
are nourished every 4 hours.
Harvesting
After thirty-five days of
eating, seeing me in silk turns a cocoon of silk. Create practically a
mile of filament! One can, by hand, boil the cocoons, choose the end of a
filament of silk, and thread it onto a spool. This work can also be done
in a manufacturing plant. Multiple strands are combined and wrapped around
a spool creating a thread.
Properties and uses of silk fiber
The
length of the silk is essential to create a high quality fabric. Long
fibers make long, flat surfaces, so silk reflects light and has that unique
shine that we value. Furthermore, short fibers and broken fibers can also
be spun to create lower quality canvases.
Because
of its delicacy, silk is as strong as wire of equal thickness. However, it
breaks down over time. As silk ages, it becomes dry and breakable and
literally falls apart in your hands. Like broken glass, silk will crack,
crumble, and fall apart. Feeding each and every one of those hungry
caterpillars is costly, making silk canvas expensive and used primarily in high-end clothing and furniture .
Peculiarities
of silk fibers and products
A protein fiber
A very long filament (up to a
mile long)
Made by a caterpillar called
silk seeme (but it is not really a seeme).
Cultivated silk is from
silkworms fed only on mulberry leaves.
Most valued for its
"silky" feel
Stronger than cotton or linen
Damaged by chlorine bleach
Sunlight can turn white silk
yellow and wear down fibers
Absorbs moisture Strong
and flexible
Stacks up static electricity
Dries quickly
Perspiration can damage and
discolor dyes
Requires fragile handling when
cleaning
Expensive
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