Silk - Navo

• Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles.
• The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons
• The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture).
• The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles, thus producing different colors.
• Silk has a long history in India. It is known as "Paat" in eastern India, Pattu in southern parts of India, and Resham in north India.
• India is the second largest producer of silk in the world after China. About 97% of the raw silk comes from five Indian states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
• The word silk comes from Old English sioloc, from Greek σηρικός serikos, "silken", ultimately from an Asian source (cf. Chinese si "silk", Manchurian sirghe, Mongolian sirkek).