What are the end uses of silk?

Silk is the most sought-after fabric in the textile sector owing to its lustrous appearance. The application and use of silk can be understood well by dividing it into the following categories:

• Apparel: Sarees, suits, formal dresses, and sophisticated lingerie are made of silk fabric.
• Accessories: Silk is commonly used in ties, scarves, stoles and handbags.
• Home textiles: Silk is often used in home textiles to give a luxurious appearance to the home and is used in bedsheets, cushion covers, handmade rugs and carpets, fine drapes and curtain and upholstery fabrics
• Industrial textiles: in this sector, silk is used for medical sutures, embroidery thread, sewing thread, typewriter ribbons and racing bicycle tyres.

Also, various types of silk are employed based on their properties for various purposes such as tussar silk is lesser used in apparel fabrics since it is less lustre and rough, however, it is widely used in furnishings and interiors such as couches, sweaters and jackets. Muga silk is used in sarees and sheets while Eri silk is mainly used for making bedsheets. However, its durability makes it a great textile material for clothing and soft furnishing including for couches and curtains.

Although the production of spider silk is less and difficult, its output is certainly worth the effort. Its special property of durability has a significant role in the production of telescopes, wear-resistant lightweight clothing, bulletproof vests, ropes, nets, seat belts, parachutes, rust-free panels on motor vehicles or boats, biodegradable bottles, bandages and surgical threads.