The Production of Silk

A great evening dress for a woman commonly uses silk fabric. Because silk is shiny, and its texture is very smooth, silk also fits great on the body as the fabric drapes the body and flows freely when walking. It exudes feminine charm that cannot be seen in other fabrics. For men, silk ties are the way to go for formal events because of the fine quality of the threading.

But before silk is woven into fine clothing creations, there is a process that creates silk from ordinary cocoons. The process is called sericulture, and it involves attention, time and experience to create different types of silk ready for public use.

Cocoons vary in color (they come in shades of gray, white and yellow), shape, texture and size. The differences in these aspects also dictate the kind of silk and the quality of the silk that they will produce. Experts sort the cocoons based on specific aspects in the colors, size, texture and shape before they proceed to the next process to act on the sericin of the cocoon.

Sericin has a gum like property which makes them bind silk filaments together. To create this effect, the temperature around the cocoons is monitored as they are quickly changed from one temperature to another. This rapid change in temperature allows the sericin to soften, making the fibers ready to be reeled.

When the sericin softens and the fibers can be detached from each other, each fiber is reeled to get raw silk. Each filament is very soft and fragile. Thus, between three to ten filaments are being reeled together to make them strong enough for commercial use. Depending on the type of silk that will be produced, the quantity of filament can greatly affect it.

Lastly, in the stage called bailing, the filaments are reeled to form skeins or books of raw fiber which can weigh up to four kilos. This is now the silk that can be transferred for commercial production, including treatment and color application, among others.

So whether you will be giving away silk butterfly favors and gifts, or a silk dress, tie or scarf, know that nature indeed has ways to supply us with beautiful and inspiring wonders. Silk will continue to be one of the world’s favorite fabrics, and the process used in the creation of silk will still hold the respect of people due to its craftsmanship and beauty.