Silk

Fibers, pp. 351–380

Abstract

The history of silk production is outlined from antiquity to the present day. The silk fiber’s structure is explained in detail, followed by classification and extraction methods. The further processing steps and the different kinds of silk yarn (e.g. Schappe, Bourette) as well as the different finishing processes are described. The market development over the last decades of the major silk producers is also covered, followed by the properties and typical applications. Special silks, e.g., tussah, byssus and spider silk are also explained regarding extraction, properties and products.

Authors 1

1. Dieter Veit corresponding Aachen Institut für Textiltechnik

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institut für Textiltechnik, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany