First, select and breed colored silkworm varieties. These mainly include species like tussah silkmoths, with China having breeds such as Bilian, Dazao, Mianyanghong, Balinghuang, and Ankang No.4. In Japan, varieties like Zhongguang Huangyu, PNGPCG, and Gunma 125 are commonly used. By raising these specific silkworm strains, you can directly produce naturally colored silk without the need for artificial dyeing. Second, use the pigment addition method. This involves introducing different colored dyes into the silkworms' diet to alter the coloration of their silk glands, resulting in cocoons of various colors. From the second day after the fifth instar stage until the larvae begin to spin their cocoons, one bag of pigment powder should be used per batch of silkworm eggs. The leaves should be treated with a diluted pigment solution twice daily. To prepare the solution, mix one bag of pigment powder with 10 liters of warm water (around 45°C) to create a concentrated liquid. Then, dilute it with cold boiled water at a 1:5 ratio to make the final spraying solution. This diluted mixture is evenly sprayed onto the mulberry leaves, ensuring full coverage on both sides. Typically, 1 kg of the diluted pigment solution can treat about 10 kg of leaves, which can then be fed directly to the silkworms. Third, employ the soaking method. This technique involves immersing the silkworms in a solution made by polymerizing a diazonium salt of a pigment or dye with an addition polymer monomer. This allows the pigment to enter the silkworm's body through its mouth, circulate in the bloodstream, and eventually reach the silk gland, where it becomes incorporated into the silk. For example, silkworms can be placed in an aqueous solution containing 0.2–0.4% copper phthalocyanine blue (or green), or other similar compounds like astragalus diazonium salts, sulfonium blue, or sulfur dye diazonium salts. The silkworms are typically soaked for 3 seconds every 8 hours, allowing the pigment to be absorbed effectively. These methods offer different approaches to producing colored silk, either through selective breeding, dietary modification, or chemical treatment. Each has its own advantages and challenges, but together they provide a comprehensive understanding of how natural and artificial coloring techniques can be applied to silk production. Whether you're a researcher, farmer, or artisan, exploring these methods can lead to new possibilities in sustainable and colorful textile development. Yinchuan Erxin Technology Co., LTD , https://www.exmedmodel.com
Color silkworm cocoon production method
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