How is silk manufactured in China today?
Modern silk manufacturing in China follows the same basic techniques as those practiced by their ancestors thousands of years ago–through the production of silkworm cocoons.SilkSilk fabrics come from threads created by an animal called a silkworm. The Chinese, who originated the art of silk weaving over 5,000 years ago, still use the same methods today in the manufacture of silk, according to Ties-Necktie.Silkworm CultivationSilkworm farms nurture millions of the tiny creatures, who subsist on a diet of mulberry leaves. Once fed, the silkworms spin cocoons made of silk thread around themselves.Cocoon ProcessingWorkers select the cocoons best suited for silk production and separate the silkworms from their temporary homes. Steam then loosens the cocoon back into the form of thread.SpinningAfter the workers have bleached the silk threads and applied dyes to obtain the desired fabric color, they spin the threads together to form thicker strands.
