How Silk is Made

Silk - the most beautiful of all textile fibers is acclaimed as the queen of textiles. It comes from the cocoon of the silk worm and requires a great deal of handling and processing, which makes it one of the most expensive fibers also. Today China is the leading silk producer of the world. Other major silk producing countries include Japan, India and Italy. Production of Silk Characteristics of Silk Identifying of Silk Four Varieties of Natural Silk

The Silk Worm

Production of Silk from Cocoon to Factory Sericulture: The production of cocoon for their filament is called sericulture. The species Bombyx mori is usually cultivated and is raised under controlled condition of environment and nutrition. The life cycle of silk worm encircle in the four stages. The egg, the silk worm, the pupa and the moth. The silk worm which feeds on mulberry leaves forms a covering around it by secreting a protein like substance through its head.

This stage is called cocoon, the desirable stage for the silk producers.

Filature operations: The cocoons raised by the farmer are delivered to the factory, called a filature, where the silk is unwound from the cocoons and the strands are collected into skeins. Some cocoons are scientifically bred in such factories. The filature operations consist of the following stages.

a) Sorting cocoons : The cocoons are sorted according to the color, size, shape and texture as these affect the final quality of the silk. Cocoons may range from white and yellow to grayish. b) Softening the Sericin : Silk filament is a double strand of fibroin, which is held together by a gummy substance called sericin or silk gum. After the cocoon has been sorted, they are put through a series of hot and cold immersions, as the sericin must be softened to permit the unwinding of the filament as one continuous thread. c) Reeling the filament : Reeling is the process of unwinding the silk filaments from the cocoon and combining them together to make a thread of raw silk. As the filament of the cocoon is too fine for commercial use, three to ten strands are usually reeled at a time to produce the desired diameter of raw silk which is known as "reeled silk". The useable length of reeled filament is 300 to 600 m. d) Bailing : The silk filament is reeled into skeins, which are packed in a small bundles called books, weighting 2 to 4.5 kg. These books are put into bales weighing about 60 kg. In this form raw silk is shipped to silk mills all over the world.

Characteristics of Silk Silk is very strong in terms of tensile strength, meaning it can withstand a lot of pulling type pressure without breaking. This should not, however, be confused with wear ability or abrasion resistance. Silk will not stand up to the heavy wear that other fibers will. Silk can take on many different appearances. A raw silk fabric may fool you into thinking that it is cotton or synthetic. The more refined the silk and the smaller the yarn, the more it resembles the look and feel that we know as silky. Silk is a protein fiber like wool. This gives it many of its characteristics. It is sensitive to a range of chemical situations and cannot withstand prolonged exposure to either high alkalinity or to acid or oily soils. It will become brittle with age and exposure to sunlight.

Identifying Silk The burn test is the best way to be sure. Burning silk will leave a powdery ash and will extinguish itself when the flame is removed, just like wool. The easy way to tell silk and wool apart in the burn test is the smell. Where wool will have the smell of burning hair, the silk will have a much more disagreeable smell.

Four Varieties of Natural Silk Out of the numerous species of silk moths, scientists have enumerated about 70 silk moths which are of some economic value. But of these only a very few have commercial value. The four commercially known varieties of natural silk are (1) Mulberry silk (2) Tasar silk (3) Muga silk and (4) Eri silk. Although the bulk of world silk supply comes from the silk moth Bombyx Mori which is domesticated, the other varieties of silk are known as wild silk, as they are grown in remote forest trees in natural conditions.

A wide range of silk fabrics are produced at different production centers both Handloom and Powerlooms. A brief account of the range of fabrics is furnished below,

as is known by its popular names. Mulberry Varieties Some important mulberry varieties are discussed below: (a) Plain Silk Fabrics A range of thin silk to deluxe qualities are produced in this category using filature. Fabrics ranging from 20 gm to 70 gm are produced in this category using both handloom as well as powerloom. The fabrics is available as per the requirements in different shades as well as in checks and stripes. Beautiful pin stripes are a specialty for shirting. Plain silk is mostly used by exporters for making ladies blouses, fashion garments, made-ups and scarves. Deluxe and super deluxe qualities are also produced as per specific orders. (b) Dupion Fabrics A specialty of Bangalore Handlooms, Dupion is the craze of the west. Produced out of twisted filature warp and dupion weft is available in different quality ranges and shades. Dupion checks and stripes are elegant in look. Mainly used for dress material and cushion covers and furnishings, dupion is a popular name among the overseas silk importers. (c) Charka Silk Using filature in warp and Charka in weft a thicker fabric is made on handlooms. For most of the zari decorative sarees charka yarn is popularly used by the sari manufactures. (d) Chiffon Using highly twisted yarn, a thin but strong fabric is produced on power looms, which after processing and finishing attains a soft and smooth texture. Chiffons are used for varied end-uses for ladies garments and scarves/stoles. (e) Chinnon This is also produced from highly twisted yarn of filature in power loom. After the final processing and finishing the fabric gets a soft but crimp effect. Chinnon is ideal for ladies dresses and scarves/stoles. (f) Crepe Produced from 2-ply twisted yarn of 's' and 'z' twist and woven on power loom, crepe is used for varied uses. Mysore crepe saris are very popular in domestic and export front. (g) Organza

A very thin fabric produced from highly twisted yarn. After a starchy finish the fabric gets a rough texture. Organza is used as sari material as well as for embroidered garments. (h) Satin Silk satins are a popular variety of fabric used for a varied end use. When made into dresses satin gives an elegant Look. Banarasi Satin Saris are popular for export and domestic markets. (i) Tabby Silk A type of plain silk fabric produced in Kashmir. Tabby silk is mostly used for printed saris and scarves. (j) Murshidabad Silk A popular silk fabric produced in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Used mainly for saris and scarves, the fabric is available in different qualities known as 16s, 18s, 20s, and so on . (k) Matka Fabric Using Matka yarn for both warp and weft, a thicker fabric is produced mostly for furnishing. The fabric mostly produced in Bhagalpur is a very popular export item at present. By using multiple yarns the texture and thickness of the fabrics can be modified according to the end use.

Silk Manufacturing Process

Silk is a natural protein fiber produced by certain caterpillars in order to encase themselves in the form of cocoons. The making of silk is different from that of other natural fibers. There are many steps involved in silk manufacturing

Cultivation of Cocoons ( Sericulture) Filature Operations Manufacturing of Silk Yarns Finishing of Silk Fabrics

Sericulture Sericulture is the cultivation of cocoons for their filaments. The best raw silk is obtained from the species of moth called Bombyx mori. Breeding of silkworm occurs once in a year but under scientific conditions, they may be hatched three

times a year. The female moth lays around 350 to 400 eggs and the moths die soon after. As they are subject to hereditary infection, the eggs from infected moths are destroyed which results into production of fine silk. Larvae of about 3mm are hatched from the eggs. For about 20 to 30 days, they are carefully nurtured and are fed five times a day on chopped mulberry leaves. In the meantime, the larvae change their skin for four times and are formed into caterpillar of about 9 cm long. Now they are ready to spin cocoon for which racks, clusters of twigs or straw are provided. The caterpillar have small openings under their jaws called spinnerets through which they secret a protein like substance. This substance solidifies when it comes in contact with air and the filament thus formed is spun around the silkworm in the figure resembling the digit 8. In three days the cocoon gets completed which is about a peanut shell's size. The filament is held together by sericin or silk gum. The life of the worm is ended by the process of 'stoving' or 'stifling' in which the cocoons are heated. Some of the cocoons are preserved so that the pupa or chrysalis inside them develop into moths for further breeding. Filature Operations The raw silk is unwound from cocoons and are collected into skeins in the factories known as Filature. Here the cocoons are sorted based on their color, size, shape and texture. Then they are immersed in hot and cold water to soften the sericin so that filament could be unwound into one continuous thread. The whole of the seracin is not removed at this stage as it protects the delicate filament in further operations. 'Reeling' is the process of unwinding the filament from the cocoon. Three to ten filaments are together reeled for producing the desired diameter of raw silk thread. Manufacturing of Silk Yarns The reeled silk is formed into silk yarn or silk thread through the process called 'Throwing'. It corresponds the spinning process of other natural fibers. The raw silk skeins are sorted according to their color, size, length or quantity and washed in warm water with soap or oil for softening the seracin. After drying the skeins, they are placed on reels from where the silk is wound on bobbins. During winding, the silk strands are given desired amount of twist. The strands may be doubled and then given twist in similar or opposite directions. To get equal diameter throughout the length, the yarn is run through rollers. Many kinds of silk yarns are manufactured by giving different amount of twists. Still remaining sericin is removed from silk yarn by the process of 'Degumming' in which the yarn is washed with soap and water for bringing out its natural shine and the soft feel. Kinds of Silk Yarns Thrown Singles: Three to eight silk filaments are twisted together in only one direction to make 'Singles'. Tram: A slight twist is given to two to four untwisted singles. Trams are used exclusively as filling yarns.

Crepe: Individual raw silk filaments are twisted together, one in S direction and the other in opposite Z direction. They are then twisted around each other in S direction. Organzine: Two or more singles having twist in Z direction are combined by twisting them around each other in the opposite S direction. Organzine is mainly used for warp yarns. Finishing of Silk Fabrics Many finishing processes are applied to different silk fabrics in order to improve their appearance, durability and feel. Calendering and Cireing is done to enhance luster, singeing is done to make them smooth, and steaming is done for raising pile weaves. Pressing and lustering removes wrinkles from the finished fabric. It is done with heated rollers and then soaking in dilute acid to bring luster. One finish that is unique to silk fabric is 'Weighting'. The weight of silk is lost during the process of demugging. The manufacturer purchases silk by weight and to make up his loss, he does weighting of silk fabric with metallic substances such as stannic chloride, sodium phosphate, iron salt, logwood etc. Weighting is done during the dyeing process. Weighted silk is less compactly woven when compared to the unweighted silk and lesser silk is used in the fabric construction. Apart from lowering the cost of silk, weighting gives it crispness, luster and a firm feel.

Life cycle ofr the silk worm

Largest producers

Top Ten Cocoons (Reelable) Producers 2005 Production (Int Country Footnote Production (1000 kg) $1000) People's Republic of 978,013 C 290,003 China 259,679 C 77,000 India Uzbekistan 57,332 C 17,000 Brazil 37,097 C 11,000 Iran 20,235 C 6,088 16,862 C 5,000 Thailand 10,117 C 3,000 Vietnam Democratic People's 5,059 C 1,500 Republic of Korea 3,372 C 1,000 Romania 2,023 C 600 Japan
No symbol = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial figure, C = Calculated figure; Production in Int $1000 have been calculated based on 1999-2001 international prices Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division

Footnote F F F F F F F F F F