What is Sericin?
The reeled silk is rigid as it is coated in sericin. Silk worms produce silk filament through two glands under the mouth, known as spinnerets. When the liquid meets the air it hardens and the silk filament is coated with a gummy substance called sericin. It is removed by boiling the silk in soapy water. Before the raw silk can be boiled it must be spun in to manageable quantities known as skeins. After being spun and boiled the silk is soft and ready to be dyed.
