| Cultivated silk from the Bombyx mori silkworm, which | | | | strength and its fibers will not easily be torn or |
| is and has always been the most common type of silk | | | | damaged. It is also an elastic material that can be |
| used, has a number of interesting and desirable | | | | stretched and then will recover to its original size |
| properties that have been admired for over 5,000 | | | | unless stretched beyond 20-25% of its original length. It |
| years. | | | | has been used in the past in making guy ropes to take |
| First of all, silk takes well to dyes, both natural and | | | | advantage of this characteristic. |
| synthetic, which results in colorful fabrics. Another | | | | Silk clothing keeps one cool in the summer, and it |
| property of silk is its soft feel, and it retains it shape | | | | provides surprising warmth in the winter and is often |
| well, even after having been stretched. In appearance | | | | used as an insulation layer in different types of clothing |
| silk has a sheen and luminosity that makes it look | | | | or even in sleeping bags. Silk can absorb a fairly |
| luxurious. Since silk production is labor intensive and | | | | significant amount of moisture before it feels wet. |
| costly it has often been used by royalty and people of | | | | Silk can be woven together with other fabrics in |
| wealth for centuries, and it has in fact sometimes | | | | blends, and it is most often used in articles of clothing |
| become a symbol for wealth and achievement. In | | | | such as dresses, pants, sweaters, gowns, and shirts, |
| England, for example, when an attorney reaches a | | | | for example. Silk ties for men have a look and feel |
| certain status and earns the honor of being a QC (for | | | | that is exceptional, and many men prefer silk ties and |
| Queen's Council), he or she is said to "take the silk". | | | | use them almost exclusively. |
| From then on they will wear a silk gown during court | | | | For all these reasons silk has been desired for |
| proceedings. In fact silk dresses from pure English silk | | | | centuries. The secrets of its production were held |
| are normally worn in royal weddings in England, and | | | | tightly in China for over 2,000 years, but finally the |
| this is a tradition that has been upheld for centuries. | | | | knowledge and raw materials (silkworms and mulberry |
| There are still small silk making operations located | | | | trees) were to be found elsewhere in the world, and |
| there in modern times. | | | | many countries had a significant number of people |
| Silk has the property of being a very flexible material. | | | | employed in the production of silk goods. China is |
| For example, a silk scarf can readily be pulled through | | | | today the world leader in silk production, just as it was |
| a wedding ring, and it will quickly retake its original | | | | several thousand years ago. China produces over half |
| shape without a lot of wrinkling. It is light in weight, and it | | | | the world's silk, and India accounts for about a quarter |
| can be easily folded. Silk scarves are excellent for | | | | of the Chinese production. India is, however, the leader |
| women who travel, as a lady can change her look by | | | | in production of wild silks, that is, silk spun from species |
| changing scarves and can get away with carrying | | | | of silkworms other than B. mori which live in the wild, |
| fewer outfits than she normally might wear at home. In | | | | such as the tussah silkmoth. Silk production from these |
| addition, silk tends to fall naturally and hangs delicately | | | | wild silkworms is much less predictable and much |
| when used as clothing. This gives it an appeal over | | | | more difficult to control, since these insects cannot be |
| other fabrics that are more stiff and rigid. In addition, silk | | | | domesticated like the B. mori. Furthermore, tussah silk is |
| holds its structural integrity and will not rot. Silk is also | | | | said to be somewhat more coarse than silk from B. |
| more heat resistant than many other fabrics, including | | | | mori. Despite the arrival of less costly synthetic fabrics |
| wool, for example, and is actually rather difficult to burn. | | | | like rayon and nylon, the properties and characteristics |
| One remarkable property of silk is its high tensile | | | | of silk account for its continued significant demand. |