SILK FIBERS

Raw Cocoons
White in color, these are the domesticated, or cultivated, silk cocoons; they can be used for reeling, mawata making, spinning – or even knitting directly from the degummed cocoons!

Raw Stained Cocoons
Stained cocoons have areas that will be discolored when degummed. These may include “dead” cocoons, which are those that won’t rattle when shaken: the chrysalis has not reached the stage that makes reeling the cocoons possible.

Degummed Cocoons
They can be used for reeling, mawata making, spinning – or even knitting directly from the degummed cocoons.

Bombyx mori fibers are available in several preparations. White in color, the silk is buttery soft to the hand and finer in fiber diameter than the wild (Tussah) silks. The Brick is the first preparation in the combing process preparation, with a sometimes varying staple length of 2” to 6”. Dyeing this silk produces brilliant colors.

Bombyx mori fibers are available in several preparations. White in color, the silk is buttery soft to the hand and finer in fiber diameter than the wild (Tussah) silks. The Top has a homogenous fiber length of approximately 4”. Dyeing this silk produces brilliant colors.

Mawata is a Japanese term for expanded cocoons. The cocoons are stretched over a frame, giving a shape to the mawata. The two forms of Bombyx mori mawata that are available are Squares (“Hankies”) and Caps. The Caps are neatly packaged into a Bell Unit that weighs approximately half a kilogram (500 grams).

Mawata is a Japanese term for expanded cocoons. The cocoons are stretched over a frame, giving a shape to the mawata. The two forms of Bombyx mori mawata that are available are Squares (“Hankies”) and Caps.

Mawata is a Japanese term for expanded cocoons. The cocoons are stretched over a frame, giving a shape to the mawata. Bombyx mori mawata Squares (“Hankies”) are often used by felters.

Tussah silk fibers are generally tan in color, and come from semi-domesticated or sometimes wild silkworms. The fiber feels a bit coarser than Bombyx mori, is more resistant to sunlight and acids than Bombyx mori, accepts dye more easily than Bombyx mori, and blends more homogenously with other fibers than Bombyx mori. Spinners new to silk will find Tussah easier to spin than Bombyx mori.

Tussah silk fibers are generally tan in color, and come from semi-domesticated or sometimes wild silkworms. The fiber feels a bit coarser than Bombyx mori, is more resistant to sunlight and acids than Bombyx mori, accepts dye more easily than Bombyx mori, and blends more homogenously with other fibers than Bombyx mori. Bleaching Tussah is done to more easily accept dye colors and mimic Bombyx mori when dyed. Spinners new to silk will find Tussah easier to spin than Bombyx mori.