Females lay 300-500 eggs before they die. Eggs lie in wait for the following spring. In order to obtain silk, the cocoons are passed through hot steam to kill the butterflies before they break through the cocoons. The next stage is to put silk threads onto cones by machine in factories. The production of raw silk can take place only where the climate is warm and mulberry leaves are abundant.
China produces most of the world's silk with Turkey being eleventh.
Until the 1980s most of the production in Turkey was exported. However, after the development of the silk carpet production in the country, exports nearly stopped. The cultivation of silkworms is diminishing because it is chancy and troublesome and villagers prefer to deal with sure-profit crops. Properties of silk Silk is the strongest of all natural fibers, ranked in strength with the synthetic fiber nylon. Woven into material silk is lightweight but retains warmth and is valued as an insulating liner in gloves and footwear.