Mary Allen
Silk is a very fine and light fabric that can be used to sew shirts, blouses, and other garments. Silk is a natural product and is obtained from the caterpillars of a butterfly. Silk originally comes from China and was formerly brought to Europe via the Silk Road. At that time, silk was very expensive: only kings and other rich people could afford silk clothes.
The silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree. When they are about a month old, they spin a long thread of silk and wrap themselves in it. This packaging is also called a cocoon. After a while, the caterpillars pupate and turn into an adult butterflies.
But to get the silk, the cocoons are first collected and boiled in hot water to kill the caterpillars. Then the silk thread is carefully unwound and spun into yarn. The yarn is washed, wound into bales, and dyed. In a weaving mill, the yarn is woven into lengths of fabric, which can then be used to make shawls, dresses, and much more.