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## Silk Silk is a natural fibre obtained from the cocoons of silkworms. The best silk comes from the cocoons of silkworms which feed on mulberry leaves. The practice of rearing silkworms for the production of silk is called *sericulture*. At present, India and China are the major silk-producing cou...

## Silk Silk is a natural fibre obtained from the cocoons of silkworms. The best silk comes from the cocoons of silkworms which feed on mulberry leaves. The practice of rearing silkworms for the production of silk is called *sericulture*. At present, India and China are the major silk-producing countries in the world. ## Varieties of Silk | Variety of Silk | Type of Silkworm | Primary Food | Major Silk-producing states/UTs | |---|---|---|---| | Mulberry silk | | | | | Muga | | | | | Eri | | | | | Tropical tussar | | | | | Oak tussar | | | | ## Wool Wool is obtained from the fleece of sheep and other animals such as goats, yaks, rabbits and camels. The fleece is removed from the body of sheep with the help of special clippers by a process called *shearing*. The fleece obtained is processed to produce yarn. Yarns are knitted to make garments such as sweaters. Wool is fluffy and traps air among its fibres. Since air is a poor conductor of heat, wool retains heat. Hence woollen garments keep us warm in winter. Wool is also used to make carpets. Australia is the leading producer of wool in the world. ## Clothes are made from different types of fabrics * Fabrics differ from each other in texture, shine, thickness, colour and the type of material they are made of. ## Artificial Fibres In the 1900s, people began making fibres from chemical substances in factories. These fibres are called *artificial* or *synthetic fibres*. For example, nylon, rayon, polyester and acrylic are synthetic fibres. The artificial fibres, such as nylon and polyester, are made of chemicals obtained from petroleum. The chemical is passed through a *spinneret*, a device containing fine holes. Long threads emerge from the spinneret which are allowed to cool. Then several threads are twisted to make the yarn. The yarn is then woven to prepare synthetic fabric. Some of the advantages of synthetic fibres over natural fibres are as follows: * They are more durable and pick up different dyes easily. ## Talk About It! *Synthetic fabrics are unsuitable for use during hot and humid weather. Why?* * Discuss in class.* ## CareerWise *Fashion designer*: A fashion designer creates attractive garments and accessories according to the current fashion trends. *Find out more about this profession.*