01: Silk covered decorative pillows

Characteristics 

• Made from the cocoon of the silkworm.

• Very strong fabric

• lightweight and breathable which reduces temperature during use

• A flexible fabric that returns to its natural shape after being pulled

• Highly absorbent, but water weakens the fibers, so washing must be very delicate

• Smooth and straight fibers give the fabric a very luxurious and sleek look

• The long and delicate production results in a high purchase price

02: Silk Bedding anc curtains in a bedroom setting

Production

• Silkworms eat mulberry leaves and convert them into fibroin

• The silkworm then extrudes strands of silk filament and sericin, a gummy compound that holds strands together.

• Silkworms spin the filaments together to make a cocoon that is later harvested

• The cocoons are first heated to kill the silkworms before harvesting

• The sericin is softened and the silk filaments are unwound in the reeling process

• During the throwing process, the filaments are wound into a silk yarn

  • noil is the yarn spun from scraps of the filaments​

  • douppioni is spun from the filaments from two or more cocoons

• The yarn is then woven into sheets and dyed to the desired style

03: Patterned  silk wall covering

Environmental Impact

• High purchasing price

• HIgher renewability than other fabrics

• The mulberry leaves require no harsh pesticides to grow

• The harvesting and heating of silkworm cocoons is heavily criticized by animal rights activists

• The mulberry silkworm has been fully domesticated and can't live without the feeding or growing of humans

• Not a local resource in most areas, so transportation causes pollution

• Water and many harsh chemicals are used during the cleaning process