Silk is a long, continuous protein filament produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity, and the production of Thai silk begins with this.
The Bombyx mori usually produces silk thread of varying colors, ranging from light gold to very light green, with lengths varying from 500 to 1,500 yards per cocoon.
In Thailand, the Center for Excellence in Silk at Kasetsart University’s Kamphaeng Saen campus plays a leading research role in sericulture or silkfarming research as well as providing silkworm eggs and know-how to Thai farmers.
But the quality of Thai silk had not officially been certified and the different types of of silk not categorized. So be able to identify genuine Thai mulberry silk easily, Thailand’s Agriculture Ministry uses the different colors of the peacock emblem to authenticate Thai silk and protect it from imitations – gold refers to premium Royal Thai Silk, a product of native Thai silkworm breeds and traditional hand-made production; silver refers to Classic Thai Silk, developed from specific silkworm breeds and hand-made production; blue refers to Thai silk with chemical dyes and green refers to Thai Silk Blend, a product of silk blended with other fabrics.
Recommended place to see the interesting process of silk weaving: Ban Tha Sawang Silk Weaving Village