For many hand-knitted fabric manufacturers in India, silk yarns have become the most popular choice for beginning their knitting and weaving creative expeditions. But why? It is because, despite being one of the oldest known textiles, dating back thousands of years, silk is possibly the most royale, lustrous, and delicate fabric material ever created by humankind. In spite of modern technology and advancements in processes, the production of silk very much remains as laborious and complex as it was centuries ago.
Are you looking for top silk textile companies in India? We will help you out for sure. Meanwhile, let’s discuss the history of silk and how silk is made today.
The Legend of Silk
While the exact date of the first-ever silk fabric created is still unknown, it is attributed to the Chinese civilization, particularly to the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 BCE) or the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). And based on legend, the Chinese empress Lei Zu was the first to discover silk production as she accidentally dropped a silkworm cocoon into her hot tea, unfurling the fine, shiny threads. The legend also highlights the beginning of silkworm farming (sericulture) and the ensuing silk farming and weaving technologies.
For many centuries, the Chinese monopolized silk production, keeping the knowledge of sericulture and silk weaving techniques highly confidential. China dominated silk production and distribution in the market until the knowledge spread to different parts of the world through various means, including the infamous Silk Road.
The Silk Road, which connects Asia with Europe, is a network of ancient trading routes that primeval traders used for exchanging ideas, goods, and the latest techniques, including silk production.
The cultivation technique and knowledge soon reached other regions, such as Iran (then Persia), Easter Roman Empire (then Byzantium), and of course, India. Soon after, these regions started their own sericulture traditions and created some of the world’s best knowns silks.
Today India is one of the largest producers and exporters of silk globally. Silk is one of the strongest cultural heritages of the country, with various types of silks being produced and exported through Damodar Menon International, including Mulberry and Non-Mulberry (Eri, Tasar, and Muga).
In fact, India is the only country that produces all five commercial silks, such as tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri, muga, and mulberry.
The Government and top textile companies in India have taken several initiatives to promote and support silk cultivation and farmers, like offering subsidies and financial assistance in research and development.
How is Silk Made?
Silk yarn is a 100% animal-based textile product made from the cocoons of various silkworms. There are three major types of silk yarns, and their distinction is attributed to their production process. They include Reeled Silk Yarn, Raw Silk Yarn, and Spun Silk Yarn.
Silk yarns can be used for making knitted and woven fabrics. Raw silk and Reeled yarn are popular among knitted fabric manufacturers in India. The former is used for knitting and crocheting, while the latter is used for creating luxurious garments like silk saree.
Silk textile companies in India typically cultivate and extract silks for export. The process includes the following steps.
Step 1: Gathering the Silkworms and Harvesting the Cocoons (Sericulture)
Sericulture involves collecting silkworms and farming their cocoons. Silkmoths lay 300-500 eggs at a time, which hatch into silkworms. The worms feed on mulberry leaves for 6 weeks until they reach full size. Once they reach 3 inches in size, the worms spin their silk cocoons in a motion similar to Figure 8 around 300 000 times. This entire process takes about 3 to 8 days. Each silkworm produces a single strand of silk, which can be as long as 100 meters. The strands are held together by Sericin, a natural gum.
Step 2: Extracting the Silk Threads
Once the silkworms have spun the cocoons, the cocoons are harvested and placed inside boiling water. The boiling water dissolves the Sericin gum. This step makes sure the thread remains intact without breaking or damaging.
After the gum is dissolved, each long thread is carefully removed, reeled from the cocoon, and wound into a reel. To remove any residual gum from the thread, it is washed out with soap and boiling water.
Once the threads are degummed, they are bleached and dried for dyeing.
Step 3: Dyeing the Silk Threads
Traditionally, the silk threads are dyed using natural dyes sourced from fruits or indigo plant leaves. The threads are bundled and soaked inside tubs filled with hot water and indigo leaves. The process usually took several days to ensure proper coloring and quality.
However, knitted fabric manufacturers in India opt for modern dyeing technology that uses acid or reactive dyes. This gives manufacturers a wide range of color choices and shades to cater to more consumer demands. While the process is the same as the traditional dyeing method, it is much faster and produces less waste.
Step 4: Spinning the Silk Threads
In many regions, handspun silk threads are revered. Conventional spinning wheels are used to hand-spin silk threads, where the dyed fibers are unwound and passed on to a bobbin so they are ready for weaving fabrics. However, modern top textile companies in India prefer advanced spinning machines as they streamline the process and make it less laborious.
Step 5: Weave the Silk
Silk can be woven in different ways to achieve the desired final finish, texture, and appearance. Plain, open, and satin are the most popular weaving techniques. The threads are woven at right angles to each other, otherwise known as warp and weft. This allows the uniform interlocking of two sets of threads to create a strong fabric.
Step 6: Printing Designs on the Fabric
Printing on silk fabrics can be done in two ways: Digital printing and Screen printing.
Screen printing is a traditional process often used when the apparel manufacturer requires a bolder and more vibrant look.
Digital printing is a more modern technique where specially designed textile printers and inks are used to print hand-drawn or digitally created art onto the fabrics.
Step 7: Treating the Fabric for Lustrous Finish
Finishing is the last step of the silk fabric production process that gives a piece of silk the highly lustrous sheen it is so popularly admired for.
Different chemical treatments are applied to the silk finishing. They come with a host of benefits and properties, including fire resistance and crease proofing.
If you are looking for silk-knitted fabric manufacturers in India, register your business with Damodar Menon International, India’s largest and oldest textile trading company, with six strategic offices in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, China, and Vietnam.
We help silk and cotton suppliers and other natural and synthetic fabric manufacturers, buyers, and sellers worldwide to find the best deal for their offer. Textile companies in India and overseas can also register on TEXchange Global to buy and sell textiles digitally across the globe.
