History of Silk | Lotus Silk | Extraction Process

History of Silk and Extraction process by Textile Sphere

Silk is a natural protein fiber that is extracted from the cocoon of the silkworm. The silkworm feeds on mulberry leaves and spins a cocoon around itself. The silk manufacturing process is a long complicated process, but once it is done, the result is a soft, lustrous, and strong fabric.

The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fiber, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles, thus producing different colors.

The following are the steps in Silk Manufacturing:

Silkworms Feeding
Silkworm Cocoon Harvesting
Open the Cocoons
Separate Silky Filaments from Non-Silky Fibers
Wash and Dry Filaments
Comb Filaments into Yarns or Single Strands

History of Silk:

The history of silk manufacturing can be traced back to the Neolithic Age when people discovered that silk was produced by insects. However, it is not certain exactly when this discovery was made.

Silkworm eggs were first discovered in China about 5,000 years ago. The Chinese emperor Huang Ti ordered farmers to plant mulberry trees so that the larvae could feed on them and produce silkworms. In 2000 B.C., silk was already being used for making clothing.

The ancient Greeks learned how to spin thread from cocoons and make garments from it but they did not know how to dye it until later on in history.

The Romans used silk extensively for clothing and bedding. They also imported Chinese silk into Rome and other parts of their empire. As a result, the Romans encouraged their slaves to grow mulberry trees so that they could produce more silkworms so they could have enough material for their clothing needs as well as trade with other countries such as China and India who had been producing silk even before the Romans started using them as a source of material for their garments

Silk fabric was first developed in ancient China. The earliest example of silk fabric has been found in tombs at the neolithic site Jiahu in Henan Province, China, dating back approximately 8,500 years ago. Silk fabric was also discovered in 1986 (along with hemp) inside two birch bark scrolls recovered from Tomb No. 3 at Mawangdui near Changsha, Hunan province dated to around 2nd century BC. Silk was produced and traded throughout the Mediterranean countries in ancient times and remained a luxury good until modern times. Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles, thus producing different colors.

Silk was first developed in ancient China, with sericulture taking place around 2600 BC. Silk was used by many ancient civilizations as a symbol of wealth and status. It became a major item of trade between China and its neighbors, as well as a lucrative product for traders along the Silk Road.

The earliest evidence of silk production dates back to about 4000 BCE in what is now southern China's Sichuan province, where bone needles were discovered at Dadiwan village near Chengdu, along with pottery shreds that were used for weaving.

Silk became even more popular during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD), which is sometimes called "The Golden Age of Chinese Culture." The government promoted the use of silk among all classes of people by requiring that every family have at least one roll of silk fabric so they could be used as burial clothes or as gifts on special occasions.

Silk was originally reserved for royalty and religious leaders because it took so long for one cocoon to produce enough thread for just one robe or pair of trousers. It also required enormous amounts of labor (usually from women) to harvest raw materials (silkworms), clean them, spin their cocoons into silk thread and then weave the thread into cloth.

Silk has been used for thousands of years. The Chinese have been producing silk since about 3000 BCE. Silk is made from the cocoon of the silkworm, a type of caterpillar that spins a cocoon around itself when it comes out of its larval stage.

When you spin the cocoon to get the silk out, you are actually spinning it from one end (where the hole is) to the other (where there is no hole). It takes about 2,000 worms to make 1 pound of silk!

The silk industry was very important in China until the 1600s and 1700s when it was overtaken by cotton. Today, China is still the largest producer and exporter of silk worldwide.

New development: Lotus Silk

Lotus Silk is a high-quality, soft, breathable fabric made from the bast fiber of the lotus plant.

The process begins in the fields where lotus plants are grown in water. The fibers are then extracted, this is done by hand, which means that each strand of Lotus Silk has its own unique texture and color and is processed into a fine silk filament. The filament is then woven into Lotus Silk fabric majorly on Handloom.

Lotus Silk is a great way to add an extra layer of luxury to your bedding. It’s a soft, lightweight fabric that feels like silk but is actually made from bamboo and cotton.

It has got applications like lotus silk scarf, lotus silk saree, etc though lotus silk price is very high compared to other materials as it takes a lot of hard work and manpower for the extraction.

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