Fabric Properties and Distinctions By: Textile Fabric Consultants, Inc.

printer friendly version

Silk
By Amy Willbanks, Textile Fabric Consultants, Inc.

History:

Legend has it that silk was discovered around 2640 B.C. when a Chinese Empress, Hsi Ling Shi, became intrigued by silkworms. She was given the task of studying the silkworm by the Emperor. He wanted to know if the silkworm’s thread could create more happiness for his people. She then learned how to unwind the silk from the cocoon and make fabric from it. Thus, the silk industry in China began and China still holds the monopoly on the industry today with 54% of the silk production. The beautiful fabrics produced from silk fiber were often coveted in other countries. Eventually other countries began producing silk fabrics.

Production:

The production of cultivated silk is known as sericulture. The stages of production are as follows:

1. The silk moth lays eggs.
2. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars are fed mulberry leaves.
3. When the silkworms are about 35 days old they are 10,000 times heavier than when they hatched. They are now ready to spin a silk cocoon.
4. The silk is produced in two glands in the silkworm’s head and the forced out in liquid form through openings called spinnerets.
5. The silk solidifies when it comes in contact with the air.
6. The silkworm spins approximately 1 mile of filament and completely encloses itself in a cocoon in about 2 or three days.
7. The silkworm then goes through stages and changes into a moth; however, the silkworm is usually killed with heat before it reaches this stage. The silkworms are killed because once they reach the moth stage, the moth secretes a fluid to dissolve the silk so it can emerge from the cocoon. This damages the cocoon and the silk and the silk then becomes a lower quality. Some silkworms are allowed to live to be used for breeding.
8. The silk is obtained from the undamaged cocoons by brushing the cocoon to find the outside ends of the filament.
9. The silk filaments are then wound on a reel. One cocoon contains approximately 1,000 yards of silk filament. The silk at this stage is known as raw silk.
10. A yarn can now be formed by combining several filaments of silk.

Wild Silk Production:

Wild silk is obtained from cocoons that silkworms produced in a natural uncontrolled environment. The most common type of wild silk is Tussah Silk. Tussah silk is dark in color, coarse in texture and cannot be bleached. Duppioni is another type of wild silk. Duppioni silk is produced when two silkworms spin cocoons that are joined together.

Countries Producing Silk:

China 54%

India 14% (mainly known for hand-woven wild silks with rich textures)

Japan 11% (high-quality silks)

Thailand (hand-woven iridescent silks)

The United States tried its hand at sericulture but all attempts failed.

There are over 30 countries producing silk today.

Silk production is expensive: consequently, silk is considered a fiber of luxury. It is thought that silks expense, beauty and hand contributed to the beginning of the manufactured fiber industry. People wanted fabrics that looked and felt like silk but without the cost so they tried to manufacture fibers similar to silk. Eventually rayon was developed from these efforts of trying to artificially produce silk.

Characteristics of Silk:

Aesthetics: Cultivated silk is a beautiful luxurious fiber with a smooth luxurious hand. This type of silk can be dyed and printed in bright colors that are very pleasing to the eye. Wild silks are duller and have a more coarse hand and texture.

Durability: Silk’s abrasion resistance is moderate. However, it is ranked high in strength for natural fibers.

Comfort: Silk fabrics have good absorbency. Fabrics made from silk are comfortable in the summer and warm in the winter.

Appearance Retention: Silk fabrics have only moderate resistance to wrinkling.

Care: It is often recommended that silk garments be dry-cleaned. When hand or machine washing washable silk garments, test for water spotting in an obscure place because silk water-spots easily. Perspiration and sunlight weakens and yellows silk fabrics. Upholstery and drapery fabrics that contain silk should be protected from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

End Uses:

Silk is mainly used in apparel and home-furnishing items but also is used in the medial field.

Underwear Socks Leggings Dress shirts Suits Pants Evening gowns Sweaters T-shirts

Window treatments Upholstery fabrics Liners for sleeping bags Blankets Bed sheets Rugs (occasionally) Medical sutures Prosthetic arteries

Sources:

Sara J. Kadolph, Anna L. Langford, Textiles/...{et al} (8th ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Simon & Schuster/A Viacom Company) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 07458, pages 61-66 and 82.

Kathryn Hatch, Textile Science (West Publishing Company) St. Paul, MN, 55164, page 160.

Textile Fabric Consultants, Inc. manufactures fabric swatch kits for students who study textiles in colleges and universities.  These kits are also sold to professionals in the industry.   We also sell to high schools, department stores, interior designers and costume designers.  The kits are designed to help educate people about a variety of fabrics and  to be a permanent hands on reference for the user.