silk gum

The outer fibres of mulberry silk have a natural healing and antibacterial effect due to the high content of silk gum.

The cocoons are soaked in hot water in order to soften the sericin (also known as silk gum) which coat the fibers and stick the cocoons together.

The reeling process consists essentially of softening the silk gum, by maceration in hot water, removing the loose outer layers until the free end of the bave has been located and then combining it with the baves from other cocoons.