Super Eco

Silk is a natural fiber obtained from the cocoons of mulberry silkworm larvae, known as a "protein fiber." Silk can be gathered wild from cocoons that have already been discarded by the emerging moth, or cultivated. Wild silk cloth is less sturdy and more difficult to dye than cultivated silk cloth. It is one of the strongest natural fibers, though it loses some of its strength when wet, and is neither elastic, nor resistant to static electricity. It's chiefly desired for its shine (due to the triangular shape of silk fibers, which refract light) and its soft feel. It is also absorbent and a good insulator making it ideal for the production of undergarments. Its uses range from fashion clothing and ceremonial dress to parachutes, comforter filling, artillery gunpowder bags, and bulletproof vests.

Production and treatment of silkworm moths

Cultivated silkworm pupae are killed before the adult moths emerge by immersing them in boiling water or poking them with a needle, so that the silk can be unraveled in one long continuous thread, which results in much stronger silk cloth. Many animal rights activists decry this practice; notable among them is Mahatma Ghandi, who denounced silk producers, pointing to the Ahimsa philosophy, which inveighs against the injury of any living thing. Once silk fibers have been harvested, they are typically bleached in hydrogen peroxide to remove the yellow color. The chief producers of silk are China and India, though Uzbekistan, Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam and Iran also produce large amounts. Vegans argue that plant fibers should be used instead due to the "soul-less, labour-intensive and automated" production involved in harvesting silk.

(Photo credit: Sarah Gilbert)