Knowledge, Information and Experience
Silk is a thin, but strong fibre that silkworms produce when they are making their cocoons. Silk fabric was invented in ancient China and played an important role in their culture and economy for thousands of years.
Legend of Silk:
Legend has it that the process for making silk cloth was first invented by the wife of YELLOW Emperor, Leizu around the year 2696 BC. The idea for silk first came to Leizu while she was having tea in imperial garden. A cocoon fell in to her tea and unraveled. She noticed that the cocoon was actually made from a long thread that was strong and soft. She also invented silk looms that combined the thread in to a soft cloth.
Silk in Chinese culture:
Silk cloth was extremely valuable in ancient China. Wearing silk was an important status symbol. At first only royal family members were allowed to wear silk. Silk was even used as money during some ancient dynasties.
Silk became a prized export for the Chinese. It was kept secret and any one caught telling the secret or talking about silk was put to death.
Making Silk:
A moth lay 500 or so eggs and then die.
Baby worm’s hatch from the eggs are fed mulberry leaves for one month until they are fat.
The worm’s spin cocoons.
The cocoons are steamed to kill the growing moth inside.
The cocoons are rinsed in hot water to loosen the threads.
Women would unwind the cocoons and then combine six or so fibres in to silk threads.
Women would unwind the cocoons and then combine six or so fibres in to silk threads.
The threads are woven into cloth.
The cloth is then pounded to make it soft.
Interesting facts about Silk:
It wasn’t until the Qing dynasty, which ruled from 1644 to 1911, that peasants were allowed to wear silk clothing.
Silk was used for the other purposes than clothing such as paper, fishing lines, bowstrings and Canvas for painting.
How scientists are engineering Silk to save our bodies:
In recent years scientists have paid attention to the because of its extraordinary strong, making it useful for bullet proof vests and Armor.
One more possibility is that silk can heal our wounds faster.
Because of its cooling property and bacteria killing properties,it could be an ideal material for advanced bandage.
Silk can be used to prop up our bodies too.
Scientists created a thin form of silk that could be used instead of metals like stainless steel and titanium in fractures removing need for another surgery.
Emotional part of Silk:
To obtain silk, distributors boil the worm’s alive inside their cocoons. any one who has ever seen worm’s startle when dark homes are uncovered must acknowledge that worm’s are sansate. They produce endorphins and have a physical response to pain.
Producing a silk saree involves killing at least 50 thousand silkworm’s.
Recently a new Technique for silk production is introduced where killing of worm’s is not required.
Kusuma Ramaiah has won the patent for producing the “Ahimsa” silk.
Ahimsa is a religious concept which advocates non violence and a respect for all life. How ever production of this silk is more expensive….
