MANUFACTURE OF SILK

摘要

A method of making silk comprising the steps of disposing a silkworm on a substantially flat surface (61) which is sufficiently free of anchor points that the silkworm cannot spin a cocoon thereon. The silkworm is able to move around on the surface (61) whilst secreting silk thread, thereby forming a mat of silk on the surface. After the formation of a mat (51, 52) of silk the silkworm is removed from the surface. The mat (51, 52) of natural silk comprises a continuously spun thread extending in multiple paths across the area of the mat in a pattern of crossing thread portions. In an advantageous embodiment, the surface (61) is held at an angle (alpha) to the horizontal whereby the silkworms tend to climb up the surface (61).