The Silent Weaver: How Silkworms Make Silk

From Mulberry Leaf to Masterpiece – The Natural Craft of Silk

In a quiet grove of mulberry trees, far from noise or celebration, a humble creature embarks on one of nature’s oldest, most delicate performances. The silkworm, small and unremarkable to the casual eye, spins with the grace and patience of a seasoned artisan. There is no audience. There is no applause. And yet, what unfolds within the gossamer walls of a cocoon is a miracle of instinct, evolution, and devotion—a singular thread, spun from life itself, destined to become silk.

At Thackray of England, where every scarf carries not only beauty but narrative, we hold in deep regard the silent weaver and its ancient gift. Understanding how silkworms make silk is not simply a scientific enquiry—it is an homage to the origins of our craft. Here, we explore the natural wonder of silk, from the biological choreography of the silkworm to the cultural legacy woven through each thread.

The Life of the Silkworm: Nature's Quiet Artisan

The journey of silk begins with the Bombyx mori, a domesticated species of moth that has been cared for by humans for over 5,000 years. These moths are flightless, dependent entirely on cultivation—and yet, they are among the most refined textile artists in the natural world.

From the moment the silkworm hatches from its tiny egg, its life becomes an act of purposeful preparation. Its sole nourishment is the leaf of the white mulberry tree (Morus alba), which it consumes with diligent appetite. Over the span of approximately four to six weeks, the silkworm grows rapidly, shedding its skin multiple times in a process called moulting.

This time of growth is a quiet accumulation of strength and silk—an internal transformation that mirrors the philosophy of craftsmanship itself: measured, unseen, but rich with intention.

How Do Silkworms Make Silk? The Science Behind the Thread

Silk is produced by two special glands within the silkworm’s body. These glands secrete a protein called fibroin, which is the structural centre of silk, and sericin, a gummy substance that acts as a bonding agent. When the silkworm is ready to spin its cocoon, it excretes this viscous liquid through a narrow opening under its mouth, known as the spinneret.

As the protein solution meets the air, it hardens into a filament. With instinctual mastery, the silkworm moves its head in a figure-eight motion—over and over—layering this single, continuous thread around itself. It takes roughly three to four days of near-constant motion for the cocoon to be completed.

The result is extraordinary: a cocoon made from one unbroken silk filament, often up to 900 metres (3,000 feet) long. This thread, so delicate yet resilient, is what will eventually be harvested and woven into the fine silk that graces Thackray’s hand-illustrated scarves.

A Pause in Nature's Cycle: The Art of Harvesting Silk

To preserve the length and integrity of the silk filament, the cocoons must be carefully collected before the metamorphosis completes and the moth breaks through the silk casing. In traditional sericulture, the cocoons are gently steamed or boiled—a practice that halts the cycle, allowing the thread to be unwound in its entirety.

While this step raises ethical considerations, it is also where human responsibility intersects with nature’s offering. Today, many silk producers are seeking alternatives, including peace silk (where the moth is allowed to emerge) and more sustainable farming practices. At Thackray of England, we believe in honouring both the art and the ethics of silk—choosing partners who share our values of beauty, integrity, and sustainability.

The Thread Through History: Silk and Cultural Legacy

Silk’s origins trace back to ancient China, where legend holds that the Empress Leizu discovered its potential when a cocoon fell into her tea. From that accidental unveiling emerged a centuries-long reverence for the fibre—a material once deemed fit only for royalty.

The Silk Road, stretching from East Asia to the Mediterranean, was not merely a trade route but a cultural artery. Along it travelled not just silk but ideas, philosophies, and identities. British textile artisans, centuries later, would build on these foundations, developing their own traditions of woven storytelling.

Thackray’s own commitment to British design and handcraft is, in many ways, a continuation of this timeless narrative. Each scarf becomes a chapter—a contemporary echo of ancient silk.

Silk and the Senses: Why It Still Matters

What makes silk so enduringly desirable is not only its softness or sheen but the sensory dialogue it invites. When you touch silk, you feel the rhythm of nature—the whisper of leaves, the passage of time, the warmth of the hand that drew its pattern.

For those who wear Thackray, silk becomes not just a material, but a medium: of self-expression, of legacy, of meaning.

Our scarves are more than adornments. They are heirlooms of intention, echoing the silent diligence of the silkworm, the detailed hand of the illustrator, the slow turn of the loom. In each lies a reverence for the unseen journey of creation

Honouring the Silkworm: A Thackray Philosophy

In a world often driven by speed and spectacle, the silkworm offers us another way—a slower, quieter path, where worth is measured not in urgency, but in the integrity of the process. This is the philosophy that threads through everything we do at Thackray of England.

To know how silkworms make silk is to understand the soul of craftsmanship. It is to remember that even the smallest beings can carry the weight of beauty, and that luxury is never rushed—it is revealed, one deliberate layer at a time.

And so, when you wrap a Thackray scarf around your neck or fold one carefully into a drawer, you carry more than silk. You carry a lineage of labour, art, and care—a whisper from a cocoon in a mulberry grove, spun silently, but with eternal purpose.