Know mulberry silk
Mulberry silk comes from one domesticated moth, raised on mulberry leaves.
From mulberry leaf to silk thread
The worm spins
After weeks of eating mulberry leaves, the silkworm spins a cocoon from one unbroken filament, often close to a kilometer long.
The cocoons are reeled
Cocoons go into hot water to soften their gum. Several filaments are then drawn off together and wound into one raw silk thread.
The gum comes off
Raw silk is stiff. Washing away sericin, the natural gum, leaves the fibroin protein, and that is when silk gets its gloss and soft hand.
Legend credits Leizu, wife of the Yellow Emperor, with silk.
Good to know
What is mulberry silk?
Mulberry silk comes from the domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori, raised on mulberry leaves. Its long, even filaments make most fine silk. Wild tussah silk comes from oak-eating moths and is honey-colored.
Is silk vegan?
No. Silk is an animal fiber, and most cocoons are heated with the pupa inside so the thread stays unbroken. Peace silk lets the moth leave first, so its thread comes in shorter lengths.
What does momme mean in silk?
Momme is a measure of weight. One momme is about 4.34 grams per square meter of fabric, so a higher number means a heavier cloth.
