SILK

Introduction

Silk fibre is an animal protein fibre obtained from silkworms.

The discovery of drawing silk from the cocoons of the silkworm was kept as a secret by
Chinese for many centuries. There are evidences of existence of silk in China as early as
1725 B.C. As per the legend, Si- Ling- Chi, a Chinese princess was the first to find silk
cocoons in her garden. She accidentally dropped a cocoon in warm water and while
removing the cocoon, she found that it yielded a very fine fibre. Later Chinese learned
to carefully nurture the silkworms on mulberry leaves and initiated ‘Sericulture’ and
produced beautiful silk fabrics. Later the secret was unveiled by byzantives who
produced very rich silk fabrics. By the 12th and 13th centuries AD, Italy became the silk
centre of the west. Even though it has spread to many other countries, China still
retains its first position maintaining monopoly in production of quality silk. India ranks
second in production of silk rich fabrics.

Sericulture

The cultivation of silkworms for the purpose of producing silk filament is termed as
Sericulture. ‘Bombyx mori’ is a species of moth that produces fine silk and suitable for
raising sericulture. The life cycle of the silk moth has four stages.

1. Egg –which are hatched into larvae.

2. Silkworm –a caterpillar stage which eats on mulberry leaves.
3. Cocoon- the silkworm spins a cocoon for protection at the end of its stage.
4. Moth –the chrysalis inside the cocoons matures and emerges from the
cocoon. The female moths lay eggs and the life cycle is continued.
Each stage of the silkworm is important and much care is taken by sericulturists by
providing controlled atmosphere.
The life span of the moth is very short. Within 3 days after emerging from the eggs, the
male and female moths mate and the female lays eggs. These eggs are carefully
examined and infected eggs are removed. In a controlled atmosphere, each egg is
hatched into a larva of 1/8th inch long. The larvae are carefully nurtured on chopped
tiny mulberry leaves. As the larvae increase in size, they show voracious appetite and
feed 3 times daily for about 20 to 30 days. The larvae changes its skin called as molting
for four times before attaining the final size of around 3 ½” . Its interest on food ceases
and it shrinks in size and attains a pinkish hue and becomes transparent. The continuous
realing of its head is an indication that it is ready for spinning its cocoon. At this time,
those silkworms are transferred onto a bamboo structure, wherein they spin their
cocoon within three days. Each silk worm has two holes side by side in its jaw through
which it produces protein like substance. This hardens after exposure to outside
atmosphere and thus two very fine silk filaments are produced by each silkworm. These
two filaments are held together with the gum called ‘sericin’ and are continuous in
length.

At this stage, if the cocoons are left, the moth emerges out by dissolving the silk on the
top of the cocoon. In order to get continuous filament, the moth should not emerge
out. Therefore, the life cycle of the moth is terminated at this point by suffocating the
chrysalis through heating the cocoons. After storing, the cocoons are safely marketed

Silk reeling/ Silk filature

The silk factory is termed as ‘filature’. Here the cocoons are sorted as per color, size,
shape and texture and silk is unwound from cocoons and collected as skeins. The silk
gum sericin needs to be softened to aid in reeling, the cocoons are put through a hot
bath. Around 20% of gum is present in silk and only 1 % sericin is removed at this stage.
The cocoons are carefully brushed to find the continuous end of the filaments. As two
filaments that come out of each cocoon are too fine, filaments from 3- 10 cocoons are
generally reeled together. Required number of cocoons are placed in water trough of the
reeling machine and the filaments are drawn through porcelain eyelets and are wound
quickly on drums. When the filament from each cocoon nears completion, the operator
joins filaments from other cocoons making it into a continuous thread. Depending on
the end use of the thread, several strands are reeled together. The usable length
filament may range from 300- 600 metres.
Silk throwing: Twisting of silk strands together is termed as ‘silk throwing’ which comes
from an anglo- saxan word ‘thrawn’ meaning ‘to twist’. The silk throwing or twisting is a
simple process as the strands are continuous unlike cotton. Required number of strands
are twisted together to form yarns of required size. If required, these yarns are doubled
and twisted in opposite direction with another doubled yarn to produce different
effects.

Yarn count of silk: The size or the fineness of continuous silk filament or yarn is based
on a direct system of weight known as ‘denier’. A denier represents the weight in grams
of yarn of 9000 yards. The lesser the denier the finer the silk.

Degumming: Silk filament contains 80 % of protein and 20 % of sericin. The gum

present on the surface of the filament needs to be removed in order to bring out the
natural luster of silk filament. Degumming is carried out by boiling silk yarn or fabric in
a hot soap bath which will remove the sericin and other impurities but leave the silk
unharmed. After removing the gum, silk looks creamy white in color, beautifully lustrous
and luxuriously soft. Around 25 % of raw silk weight is lost during this operation.

Weighting: Silk is priced based on its weight. As degumming reduces its weight, it is
gained through a finishing process called weighting. Metallic salts such as stannous
chloride are used for weighting colored silk which is carried out during dyeing process.
It is followed by treatment with sodium phosphate. This is an accepted practice in silk
industry as weighting imparts firmness and body to silk fabrics. Black silks are heavily
weighted upto 15 % than other colored silk that are weighed upto 10 % . This is one of
the reasons for less durability of black silks over the colored silks.

Types of Silk
Cultivated Silk – Silk obtained from cocoons of silkworms reared carefully
through sericulture is called as cultivated or mulberry silk

Wild Silk – This silk is obtained from the cocoons of silkworms left unattended in their
natural habitat like tussah/tussar silk obtained from Antheria myletta. Tussah silk is
light brown in color and may be diffi cult to bleach. As these worms are fed on oak trees,
it assumes the natural brown color. Tussah silk is an important segment of the silk
industry for production of low priced silks. However, these silks are not as lustrous as
cultivated silks.

Raw Silk – Silk in its raw stage with sericin popularly called as Silk- in- the- gum.

Reeled silk – Continuous strands of silk obtained by combining the filament from
cocoon, ready for twisting.

Dupion Silk- Silk obtained from two silk worms that spin their cocoons together. The
yarn is irregular in diameter and not continuous, but it may have good luster. At present
in Indian market, the terms ‘Dupion silk’ is also applicable to spun silk obtained by
spinning together staple silk obtained from pierced cocoons, doubled cocoons, floss
brushed from cocoons before reeling, frison from the beginning and end of each
cocoon, scrap from the machine waste etc.

Pure dye Silk – This indicates that weighting upto accepted levels alone has been used
for silk. This dyed weighted silk is termed as pure dye silk.

Washable Silk – Silk that can be easily washed and does not require dry cleaning.

Khadi Silk – The silk that is hand spun and hand woven. The yarn/fabrics show
irregularity and thick and thin places.

Ahimsa Silk – Silk obtained from cocoons which are not stiffl ed to suffocate/ kill the
chrysalis.

Varieties of silk produced in India:

Four varieties of silk are produced in India.
 1. Cultivated/ Mulberry Silk
2. Tussah Silk/ Wild Silk
3. Muga Silk (produced in limited quantities in North- East)
4. Eri Silk - (produced mainly in North- Eastern states and also produced in AP)

Properties of Silk

Lustre: Silk is a highly lustrous fibre among all natural fibres. Wild silk is not as lustrous
as cultivated silk.
Structure: Silk is a transparent, lustrous filament with slightly irregular diameter. In
cross section the filament shows wedge shape. The silk that comes from each cocoon
has two filaments held with their wedge shape together with sericin. Silk is the only
natural filament fibre. Silk fibre is estimated o be 70- 75% crystalline and
correspondingly 30- 25 % amorphous.
Strength: silk fibre has the highest tenacity of the protein fibres and also strongest of all
natural fibres. When compared to synthetic fibres, its tenacity may fall in mid range.
The degree of fibre orientation and hydrogen bonding accounts for its good strength.
Highly durable fabrics can be made from silk at lower weight also. The durability of
fabric depends on the use of ply/double yarns and compactness of construction.
Elasticity: Silk has medium elongation at break. At 2 % elongation the elastic recovery
of silk is 90 % . The elasticity of silk in fabric form may vary based on the type of the
yarn used and the construction of the fabric.
Resiliency: The resiliency of silk may be graded as medium range. But silk fabrics retain
their shape and resist winkling. Delayed recovery is observed. Leaving wrinkled silk
fabrics overnight will help in recovering the shape of silk. Heavily weighted fabrics
wrinkle more and show decreased resilience.
Abrasion resistance: Silk has moderate abrasion resistance. Its smooth surface and
wedge shape helps in resisting the abrasion.
Drapability: Silk is one of the best fabrics that possess excellent drapability. Its use for
rich draperies speaks about its drape. The suppleness and pliability aided by its resilience
and elasticity accounts for its drapability.
Density: Silk fibre has a specific gravity or density of 1.64 gm/cubic centimeter. It is
possible to make light weight fabrics without sacrificing the strength.
Absorbency: Silk fabric can absorb water up to 1/3rd its weight without feeling wet to
the touch. This property enables silk to take up dyes very well during dyeing and
printing..
Dimensional stability: Silk fabrics retain their shape very well as the shrinkage in
washing is found to be minimum. Crepe fabrics shrink more during laundering but can
be restored back with careful steaming.

Thermal properties:

Being a protein fibre, silk has a lower thermal conductivity than cellulosic fibres.
However, it is possible to make comfortable fabrics by carefully choosing suitable fabric
construction. Silk smolders while approaching flame; it burns slowly in flame giving a
hair burnt smell and it does not support combustion. Therefore, it is self- extinguishing,
leaving a crushable bead. Silk scorches if ironing temperature exceeds 150oc.

Chemical properties

Effect of alkalies: As a protein fibre, silk is vulnerable to alkalies. But the action of
alkalies is slower than wool. It gets dissolved in caustic soda. Neutral soap is
recommended for washing.
Effect of acids: silk is resistant to organic acids and sometimes these are used in
finishing silk fabrics. Like wool keratin, silk fibroin also gets damaged with mineral acids.
Silk has the characteristic of absorbing and holding acid molecules which tend to
damage silk fibroin on storage.
Effect of bleaches: Silk is resistant o mild bleaches such as hydrogen peroxide or sodium
perborate. It gets damaged with the use of chlorite bleaches.

Miscellaneous properties:
Effect of Sunlight: Silk is damaged by exposure to direct sunlight. Drying in shade is
recommended. Raw silk is more resistant to light than degummed silk.
Effect of Mildew: Silk is not susceptible to mildew unless left in damp condition for a
long time.
Effect of Moths: Silk has high resistance to moths and silver fish. But beetles may
destroy the fibre.
Effect of Perspiration: Silk is damaged when perspiration is left in garments after
washing.
Finishes given to silk:

● Degumming –Removal of silk gum, sericin.

● Weighting- Adds weight after degumming.
● Scrooping –Treated with organic acids to produce the scroop sound when
worn
● Calendering –Enhances luster and makes it wrinkle free.
Care of Silks: Silk fabrics are generally regarded as clean fabrics. Due to their
filamentous nature, it will not hold much soil and cleaning is simple and does not
require any friction. Mild soaps such as reeta nut or neutral soaps / liquid soaps can
easily be used for washing of silks.

It is preferable to dry clean certain luxury fabrics as it retains its high luster and
softness. Crepe, georgette and organzine fabrics need careful handling as they shrink in
washing. The shape of these can be restored back by careful steaming.