The first diagram illustrates the silkworm’s life cycle and the second diagram displays information about the six steps to produce a silk cloth.
Overall, there are four main stages in the life cycle of silkworm. First, the eggs which were laid down on leaves by mature moth would hatch in 10 days into silkworm larvas. The larvas eat mainly mulberry leaf ad their food to supply nutrition between 4 and 6 weeks. Moving on to the third stage where the larva start to secrete silk thread covering their bodies like shells. This process happens for about 3-8 days until the larva are fully covered up by the thread called as cocoon, before turning into adult moth in 16 days. The cocoon is the main material used in producing a silk cloth.
Initially, we have to select the good cocoon to create a good quality silk cloth and then boiled it down in water to clean and change the cocoon softer. Afterward, the cocoons are unwind obtaining around 300-900 m of thread. The thread is twisted and weaving where it can be dyded with various colors before or after weaving.