Silk begins with a wonder of nature. A small, inconspicuous creature that, in just a few weeks, produces something that has fascinated humans for millennia. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) feeds exclusively on the leaves of the white mulberry tree. These trees grow right here on our farm. They are the foundation for our Swiss silk.
The life cycle of a caterpillar lasts about a month and is a small natural marvel.
[Introductory image] Recommendation: Mulberry tree on the farm, close-up of leaves or overview of the farm – shows the origin of the silk.
Egg
Life begins as a tiny egg, only a few millimeters in size. A female moth can lay 300 to 500 eggs.
Silkworm eggs – the pin on the bottom right shows just how tiny they really are.
Larva (Caterpillar)
After hatching, the caterpillar grows rapidly and molts four times. It needs a lot of food, four times a day, ideally always at the same time. Mulberry leaves are its only food, and it consumes them with passion: no other leaf is an option for it.
One of our silkworms shortly before pupating.
Cocoon
After about four weeks, the caterpillar begins to spin its silk cocoon. From two special glands, it produces a single, endless silk thread. Depending on the breed, this can be between 900 and 3,000 meters long, with normal specimens around 1,500 meters.
Spinning – a single, endless thread is created.
Freshly harvested cocoons from our farm.
Pupa and Moth
Inside the cocoon, one of nature's most fascinating transformations occurs: complete metamorphosis, also known as holometabolism. During this stage, the creature is in a state between worlds, neither caterpillar nor moth, neither dead nor truly alive. The pupa almost completely dissolves itself with its own digestive juices.
Only individual cells that had no function in the larval stage survive this process and form the basis for the completely new organism of the moth.
Under natural conditions, a white moth would emerge after a few weeks. In doing so, it breaks through the cocoon and damages the silk thread. A damaged cocoon cannot be used for reeled silk, cosmetics, or medicine, as the moth dissolves and contaminates the silk and severs the thread when emerging. Therefore, the cocoon is dried in time and the metamorphosis is interrupted before the moth develops. This is the only way to preserve the valuable silk thread in its full length.
The silkworm is a creature that has been completely adapted to humans over millennia. It cannot fly, cannot eat, and would not be able to survive in the wild. Its life as a moth has only one goal: mating. Since we do not breed our own, we obtain the eggs fresh from Swiss Silk each season.
[Moth image] Recommendation: White moth on a mulberry leaf or hand, close-up – shows the result of the transformation. Photograph next season!
From Our Farm to You
Up to 3,000 cocoons are needed for a single silk scarf. For a small jar of silk balm, hundreds of hours of work go into it, from daily feeding of the caterpillars to harvesting the cocoons and careful processing. Each product carries the story of our farm. Swiss silk, made with passion.
[Closing image] Recommendation: Hands holding a finished silk scarf or a small jar of silk balm, warm light – connects nature with the product and concludes the story.