silk: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 14, 2026

Photos and Videos

Silkworm cocoon

Embroidered silk with dragon, phoenix, and tiger pattern, from Mashan Tomb No. 1, 4th–3rd century bce, Zhou dynasty; in the Jingzhou Museum, Hubei province, China.

Persian hunting carpet

Qing dynasty: silk dragon robe

silk in a shop in Thailand

What can bionics researchers learn from butterflies and moths?

Witness a spider building, devouring, and rebuilding a web

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Topics

raw silk silk thread How do spiders make circular webs?How is silk made?What is the difference between silk and satin?woolly silk sericulture atlas moth silkworm moth animal fibre wool specialty hair fibre Why is cashmere expensive?horsehair rabbit hair

Key People

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Jim Thompson

American businessman

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Samuel Cunliffe Lister, 1st Baron Masham

British inventor