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Title: SILK REELING AND TESTING MANUAL...
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

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The origins of sericulture and silk production are closely associated with the emergence of China as
one of the great civilizations. It is believed that sericulture evolved gradually and by the middle of the
third millennium BC was already being used by humanity.

Silk is an animal fibre, produced by caterpillars belonging to the genus Bombyx. A single silk filament
is the product of a series of stages derived from the cultivation of mulberry trees for feed to the
propagation of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori. During the caterpillar phase, the worm wraps
itself in a liquid protein secreted by two large glands in its head. This secreted protein hardens upon
exposure to the air. The resulting filament is bonded by second secretion, sericin, which forms a solid
sheath or cocoon. Under natural conditions, a moth eventually breaks through the cocoon. In
sericulture, the larva is killed in the cocoon by steam or hot air in the chrysalis stage before its
metamorphosis. Sustained heat processing softens the hardened sericin so that the filament can be
unwound.

The silk filament is a continuous thread of great strength measuring from 500-1 500 metres in length.
Single filaments are too thin for utilization. For production purposes, several filaments are combined
with a slight twist into one strand. This process is known as "silk reeling or filature".

Silk is a premium priced agricultural commodity, although its sheer volume is less than 1 percent of
the market for natural textile fibres (Table 1). The international demand for high quality silk has
multiplied. Appropriate cocoon-drying techniques and reeling operations are vital to supply good
quality silk. Although new technologies are applied among major silk producing countries in Asia,
many newcomers to the industry including non-traditional producers have not been transitioned to the
methods that ensure high quality silk for export.

World production of raw silk reached nearly one hundred thousand tonnes in 1993. In contrast to
strong declines in Japan and the Republic of Korea to roughly 3 900 and 500 tonnes respectively.
China for the first time surpassed the 66 000 tonnes and India raised its output to 14 000 tonnes.
Outside Asia, Brazilian output exceeded 2 500 tonnes per year, with the then USSR output lingering
around 3 000 tonnes yearly. When compared to these three countries, production figures in some
traditional sericulture countries have declined.

Table 1 World production of textile fibres (in >000 tonnes)

Category/year 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995

Cotton 11 809 13 981 17 540 18 447 18 200

Wool 1 502 1 666 1 673 1 897 1590

 Cellulose fibres 2 959 3 242 3 000 2 988 2 375

Synthetics 7 346 10 476 12 515 15 830 17 795

Silk 55 68 68 85 91

Recently, China experienced a striking decline in output to 59 000 tonnes in 1996; however a slight
recovery was anticipated in 1997. At this time, Chinas production will be sustained around 60 000
tonnes per year. Output in India also diminished from nearly 14 000 tonnes in 1994 to less than 13 000
tonnes by 1996 (Table 2). Still over 70 percent of global output are attributed to China, followed by
India as the second largest producer.

Table 2. Production of raw silk in the world (Unit : M/T)

Year 1938 1970 1980 1985 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Country

Brazil 33 259 1 170 1,554 1 692 2 298 2 328 2 538 2 466 2 242

Bulgaria 180 180 252 180 180 180 180 180 180 180

China 4 853 11 23 33 40 51 60 66 060 64 584 59 000

124 460 000 800 000 540

D.P.R. - - 690 600 1 380 1 380 1 380 1 380 1 104 1 104*

Corea

Greece 255 40 36 8 8 8 8 8 8

India 691 2 258 3 960 6 960 11 13 13 13 914 12 882 12 600*

484 002 434

Indonesia - - 31 17 17 17 17 17 17 17

Iran 210 210 432 432 432 432 432 432 432 432

Italy 2 738 310 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

Japan 43 20 16 9 594 5 718 5 085 4 254 3 900 3 180 2 579

152 515 152

Lebanon 21 21 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Rep. of 1 824 3 024 2 278 1 625 948 898 666 492 342 100
Korea

Rumania 15 15 126 126 126 126 126 126 126 126

Thailand - - 300 828 1 470 1 518 1 650 1 788 1 068 1 068

Turkey 213 120 258 312 210 210 210 210 210 210

ex-USSR 1 900 1 900 4 410 3 738 4 094 4 092 3 738 2 850 2 952 2 900*

Vietnam 178 178 72 72 498 600 900 1 500 1 800 1 000*

 Others 237 844 668 164 41 82 97 81 103 82

TOTAL 56 41 55 59 69 80 89 95 498 91 476 83 670

500 000 315 232 120 934 982

Source: I.S.A. Bulletin (* Estimated)

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