Most of us enjoy silk products, as it is a fabric that many individuals love. We love the feel of the material silk, whether it is a silk scarf, a silk tie or bed sheets. While almost all individuals are aware that it comes from silkworms, how many of us really know about its production. Its manufactured products mostly come from silk that is produced by moth caterpillars; however, there are other insects that also produce it. The one from moth caterpillars or the mulberry silkworm is considered to be domestic silk, while silk that comes from other insects is said to be wild silk. In order to produce various garments, it must be cultivated. Cultivation of domestic and wild one is very different and the end products differ as well. The wild product is gathered, of course, in the wild and normally after the moth has already emerged from the cocoon. When the moth emerges, much of it can be torn, resulting in the threads that make up the silk being shorter than if they were cultivated commercially. Domestic one differs in that the moths are never allowed to leave the cocoon; therefore, they cannot damage the thread. Actually, the pupae never reach the moth stage, as they are either dipped in hot boiling water or a needle is used to pierce them before they reach adulthood. This allows its thread to be removed from the cocoon as one continuous thread. China receives the credit for first developing the silk fabric and it is thought that their development of it can be dated back as far as 6000 BC. At that time, because the luxury of a fabric was considered to be a status symbol, its products were mostly worn by Kings. Later on, the use of it spread throughout the land, but was still mostly worn by those who were rich. The feel of the fabric and the natural shimmer were the qualities that made the fabric so attractive to so many. Later, the trading of its products became so popular that the collective trade routes between Asia and Europe became known as the Silk Road. While many items have made their way through history, only a few have the distinction of standing the test of time and having a huge impact on the world. A fabric such as silk is one of those items. Pure silk fabrics had a huge impact on the world thousands of years ago and still today is a large consumer product. The use of it has changed the world, almost from the beginning and will most likely continue to have a huge impact on future generations.
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