Silk is the name provided for the natural fiber produced by certain animals, such as spiders, which is distinguished by being highly used in the textile industry. Arthropods are the most numerous phylum in the entire Animalia kingdom, and it is the one that possesses the specimens capable of expelling the base substance for the manufacture of silk. Within this can be located invertebrate animals, which have exoskeletons, among which insects, arachnids, myriapods and crustaceans stand out. The larvae of these species are those capable of producing silk; however, the most widely used is the "silkworm", the larva of the Bombyx mori butterfly, native to northern Asia.
Silk was originally produced in China, around 1300 BC This, due to its high quality and cost, was reserved only for the Chinese imperial family; However, with the expansion of its production, the use of it became very popular for other social classes, becoming a fiber highly demanded and appreciated, due to its peculiar characteristics, by merchants. In India, silk was also reserved for the upper classes, while the poor had to dress in cotton garments; Today, the " sari ", the traditional clothes, are made with this material and are only used for weddings or celebrations of great importance. Came to europewhen the Byzantine Empire was still standing, becoming the city of Constantinople the main producer of silk, controlling the monopoly of the continent.
Silk allows the reflection of sunlight from all angles, which allows it to have that shine that characterizes it so much. Due to its fine structure, it is widely used in hot climates and, on warm days, its low conductivity allows heat to concentrate close to the skin. It is widely used to make haute couture clothing, underwear, pajamas, bedding and even curtains.
