Silk

insects · textiles · nature's materials

Silkworms spin cocoons. Silkworms are caterpillars that wrap themselves in a long continuous thread to make cocoons. Humans have learned to raise these insects on farms just to harvest the silk.

Silk shimmers and shines. Silk looks shimmery because its fibers are shaped like tiny triangular prisms that bend light in different ways. This makes the fabric catch light and show different colors as you move it around.

One thread, super long. A single cocoon contains one continuous silk thread that can be up to 1,500 meters long, which is longer than 15 football fields! This incredible length is why silk became so valuable for making fabric.

Mulberry leaves are key. The silkworms that make the best silk only eat mulberry leaves, so silk farmers have to grow mulberry trees to keep their silkworms happy and healthy.

Mostly protein fibers. Silk is made of proteins called fibroin mixed with a sticky coating called sericin. Together, these natural proteins create a fiber that is both strong and smooth.