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Silk comes from silkworms, which are not true worms but the caterpillars of the silk moth, Bombyx mori. The caterpillars will only eat mulberry leaves and when they are ready to pupate, they protect themselves by spinning the silk round and round themselves to form a cocoon. Typically, each worm produces a mile and a half of continuous thread. When metamorphosis is complete and the moth is ready to leave its cocoon, it secretes an alkali which eats its way through the thread. This spoils the thread for spinning as it is no longer continuous. So, in order to get good quality silk, the moths must be killed before they leave the cocoon. This is done by suffocation with steam or heating them in an oven. Only a small number necessary for breeding the next generation are allowed to complete their lifecycle. Whether or not the pupae feel any pain whilst being suffocated or subjected to heat is debatable, but most vegetarians consider silk is not acceptable as it cannot be produced without the death of a living creature.
The fact is that silk can still be spun like other wool and cotton etc. even if the moths are allowed to emerge.
Farmed, Vegetarian silk and wild, Tussah
silk both let the silkworm live out its full life cycle. It is made differently. The moths are allowed to emerge from their cocoons to live out their full life cycle. The silk is degummed and spun into yarn, instead of being put onto reels. The raw material is a soft, fluffy material - a bit like cotton wool. This is great for warmth and therapeutic uses but it is rare and not readily commercially available.
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