The Old World’s cultures have been completely changed and epic trade routes have been established thanks to this humble fibre. Even with its extraordinary tensile strength, silk material is usually valued for other characteristics. Due to its extreme softness, silk material has always been in high demand.
About Silk Material
Fibrin, a naturally occurring protein fibre that certain insect larvae release to form cocoons, makes up the majority of silk. Although other insects can also generate materials that resemble silk, Bombyx mori larvae—worms that only live on mulberry trees—are the primary source of the majority of the silk in use worldwide.
The triangular prism-like structure of silk fibres is what gives silk an optical quality that shimmers under certain lighting conditions. The faint rainbow tint that has made silk so renowned is the consequence of these prisms reflecting light at different angles.
Where Does Silk Come From?
The natural protein fibre known as silk comes from silkworms. To produce silk fibre, the silkworms spin continuous silk threads into cocoons, which are subsequently gathered and treated.
The cocoons are first boiled in water to soften the silk and facilitate unwinding in order to manufacture silk fibre. Long strands of silk thread are then created by meticulously unwinding the silk fibres from the cocoons and winding them onto spools. After that, these strands can be utilised to create other goods, like silk cloths.
Types Of Silk Material
Mulberry Silk Material
The simplest and least expensive kind of silk fabric to manufacture is mulberry. Mulberry silk, like other varieties of this textile, is popular for its strength, tenderness, and durability. Mulberry silk makes up nearly all of the silk used in the world.
Tasar Silk
Tasar silk is the second most produced form of silk material, behind mulberry silk. The silkworms that generate this wild species are indigenous to India. Tasar silkworms are indigenous to Japan as well, although the silk produced by these worms is green.
Eri Silk
Eri silk is sometimes referred to as “peace silk” since it is a material kind that is produced without the need to kill silkworms. Although eri silk is not produced very often worldwide, it is a heavier and more resilient fabric than mulberry silk. This kind of silk is occasionally referred to as “castor silk” since eri silkworms are found on castor trees.
Spider Silk
Although spiders cannot be cultivated like silkworms, some varieties of spider silk are extremely tensile. Because of this, spider silk is not suitable for use in the creation of textiles because it is very costly to create. Instead, manufacturers employ spider silk to create telescopes, microscopes, protective vests, and other specialised or industrial goods.
Coan Silk
Native to portions of Greece, Turkey, and Italy, coan silk originates from a type of silkworm known as Pachypasa otus. Although coan silk was widely utilised in Ancient Rome, there is currently little production of coan silk material. Instead, the primary usage of this form of silk is to reinforce other types of silk fibres. These silkworms eat on pine, juniper, and oak trees.
Muga Silk
Only the Indian state of Assam produces muga silk, and muga silkworms are semi-domesticated. Although muga silk isn’t well-known outside of Assam, generations of people living in the state have produced muga silk clothing for the royalty in this area.
Sea Silk
A particular type of mussel that is indigenous to the Mediterranean produces trace amounts of a fibre that resembles silk. These mussels have been tamed by the people of Taranto, Italy, and this town produces tiny amounts of sea silk , sometimes known as “mussel silk.”
Uses Of Silk Material
Since genuine silk is so much softer and more durable than synthetic equivalents, it has been valued for thousands of years. This preference among consumers still exists today. Its uses include:
1. For Making Apparels
You can use silk material to make a variety of consumer clothing products, such as evening wear, shirts, blouses, and scarves. Men’s undergarments and pants are often made of silk material because of its softness and low weight. Silk material can be used to create lovely wall hangings, curtains, and pillows for the house.
2. For Parachute Production
Many makers of parachute materials still use silk in their products because of its lightweight and lasting properties, even if there are synthetic substitutes.
3. For Surgical Operations
Moreover, surgeons and medical professionals make use of silk surgical sutures to seal surgical incisions and wounds. This fibre is perfect for this purpose because it is extremely thin and possesses antibacterial properties.
Cost Of A Yard Of Silk Material
One cannot ignore the reality that silk fabric is costly. Producing this kind of cloth is difficult, and transporting silk from its place of origin to the final customer is costly due to shipping charges. But bear in mind that when you’re making clothes, a kilogramme of raw silk might go a long way.
Therefore, you can buy a yard of silk material for as low as N4,000 and as high as N16,500.
You can check out these online stores for quality and original silk material:
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