Development of “Silkfill” bed pad and its physical properties

Abstract

A new silk material, called “Silkfill”, was developed for the manufacture of silk bed pads instead of floss silk and Silkwave. “Silkfill” is reeled up from 1,500 to 2,000 wet cocoons onto a big wheel at 50-60 m/min, and is then dried in the skein. This dried skein is as hard as a board because of the adhesive sericin on the fibroin filaments, and so it must be degummed to separate the fibroin filaments. After degumming, it is dried and treated to become a pad on a drafting machine, and then made into a bed pad. “Silkfill” is bulky, but light, and has good recovery from deformation. Fitting monitors showed that bed pads made of “Silkfill” feel light, warm, and soft, and they fit to the body. These features are useful also for knee covers, mufflers, jackets, coats and other items. (E mail: [e-mail])