After the cocoons have been heated, silk producers carefully unravel the threads that the silkworms meticulously put into place. To do so, the silk cocoons may be boiled briefly to remove a small amount of the sericin in the cocoons, which is the glue-like substance that silkworms excrete to form their metamorphosis chambers. Silkworms make cocoons out of one long strand of fiber, which means that a fully unraveled cocoon results in a single string of silk.
To unravel a cocoon, a silk worker or an automated machine will brush the cocoon to find the loose end and load it through a porcelain eyelet onto a reel that unravels silk strand.
As the silk strand loads onto the reel, it is automatically attached to another strand to make a continuous string. The sericin in the silk strand helps the strands stick together. Next, silk producers twist these long strings together to make yarn. Silk producers may perform a variety of post-production processes to create silk yarn that has certain desired attributes, and then the silk yarn is put through a roller to make it more uniform.
At this point, the yarn is ready to be woven into a garment or another type of textile. Before they weave it, most silk textile manufacturers dye their yarn, and they may bleach it. These manufacturers may also stiffen or steam silk to achieve desired attributes. Silk can be used in thousands of different ways. The most common consumer application of silk is apparel production.
Silk has been prized for thousands of years for its incredible softness and durability, and to this day, consumers prefer real silk over its synthetic alternatives. Examples of consumer apparel items made from silk include scarves, shirts, blouses, and eveningwear. Due to its lightweight and soft attributes, silk is also a favorite material for lingerie and underwear for men. In the home, silk might be used to make decorative pillows, curtains, or wall hangings.
In addition, medical practitioners and surgeons use silk surgical sutures to close wounds and surgical openings. This fiber is very thin, and it has antibacterial attributes, which makes it ideal for this application. At , metric tonnes of silk per year, this East Asian nation vastly outstrips its largest competitor, India, which only produces 28, metric tonnes of silk every year. Uzbekistan comes in at third place, and Thailand is fourth in silk production worldwide.
The site EmergingTextiles. The Indian government also keeps track of the prices of silk produced in this nation. This type of fabric is hard to produce, and due to shipping costs, it is expensive to move silk from its point of origin to the end consumer.
While mulberry silk is, by far, the most widely produced type of this fabric, there are a few other types of silk fabric worth mentioning as well:. Other uses include artistic efforts, most notably wall hangings but you can find silk used in different art formats. Also, you will see silk used in bedding including pillows and pillowcases. One of its greatest achievements is that it is used for surgical sutures. Silk is not absorbed by the body making it perfect for those stitches that need to come out and wounds to heal without contamination.
Then in the recreational area, silk is often used in bike tires. The reason it is used for this important task is that it is light, flexible, and durable. Silk is used in making the bike tire casing but cotton and nylon can be used in that spot as well. This is a very long list as just about anywhere other fibers or fabrics go silk can go also.
If you have the money, it is possible to replace lesser materials with silk. But some of the more important products that are made with silk include blouses, dresses, shirts, ties, scarves hankies, lingerie, nightclothes, ascots, underwear, and so on. Then silk can be used to make parachutes, bike tire casings as well as luxurious bed sheets and pillows, pillowcases, upholstery as well as pillows for sofas and easy chairs. Silk also has a place in home decor as it can be used for table cloths, table runners, napkins, wall hangings, and wallpaper.
Believe it or not, because of its strength, silk is also or has been used to make bags for gun powder. As well as comforter filling. But that is not all. Silk has found its way into the medical world and not just for sutures. It is used to make special clothing to help patients with skin issues as well as disposable cups, holograms, and drug delivery systems.
Silk is not just for the elites to look good when they want to display their wealth. Silk fabric has a way of making just about anyone look good. Its luster and sheen along with its deep rich colors bring a classy and sophisticated look to the person wearing the man different silk items that are available. The good news is that silk is not just for women. Men can wear silk in shirts, dress suits, ties, scarves, ascots, and similar accessories. But women have far more clothing items they can don to up their fashion style.
There are dresses, blouses, handkerchiefs, scarves, formal gowns, high fashion outfits, hats, veils, and so on. Then when a woman wants to relax and be comfortable in the evening there is a host of lingerie she can choose from along with using a silk robe, kimono, pajamas, nighties, and so on. Sundresses are not out of the question as are other fashion elements that women like to use to enhance their looks. There is an endless supply of clothing items where silk will work well.
Silk on the bed, silk on the windows and even silk on the walls. Silk wallpaper is a popular choice in any stylish home whether modern or more contemporary.
Adding a silk wall covering to your rooms instantly oozes glitz and glam. Our dedicated team of experts have years of experience in the silk industry, and are always on hand to share their expertise and give advice where needed.
Biddle Sawyer Silks specialises in the production and distribution of fine quality silks in London and throughout the UK, with a focus on customer service and British made products. With a history dating back as far as , we have worked with a range of clientele from major UK fashion design houses to up and coming designers.
Get in touch with us to find out more about Biddle Sawyer Silks and what we can do for you. Fine quality silks, since How is silk used? Pillows Perfect for adding a splash of silk without going overboard, silk pillows are a cost-effective solution to having a taste of that luxurious lifestyle. Wallpaper There is no such thing as too much silk. What else can you do with silk? Silk fabric may also be used for draperies and occasionally as a high-end wall covering.
When using silk fabrics in the home, remember that silk fabric is very absorbent and stains easily, so moisture should be kept away from silk.
Meredith Jameson writes early childhood parenting and family health articles for various online publications.
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