Silk processing begins with the careful harvesting of the natural fibres created by silkworms.
Harvesting Raw Silk Fibres
Silk fibres are naturally produced by silkworms as they spin themselves into a protective cocoon, marking a crucial step in their life cycle before becoming a silkmoth. These fibres, known for their ultra-soft quality, are collected from the cocoons in their raw state.
The initial step in processing involves harvesting the fibres directly from the cocoon. According to traditional methods, this is achieved by:
- Boiling the cocoons: The cocoons are placed in hot water. This process often occurs while the silkworms are still inside.
- Stirring: The cocoons in the hot water are then stirred. This action helps to loosen and find the outer end of the silk filament that makes up the cocoon.
- Unravelling: The heat from the water and the stirring action cause the gum-like substance (sericin) holding the silk fibres together in the cocoon to soften, allowing the single, continuous filament of the cocoon to be carefully unwound or unraveled.
This method allows the long, delicate silk fibres to be extracted from the cocoons, preparing them for subsequent stages of cleaning, spinning, and weaving into fabric.
