Silk is one of finest materials we have; its smooth, lavish fabric and considerable price make it a luxury item. However, the process of actually obtaining this silk comes at the expense of its creator, the silkworm. This article will briefly explore silkworms, what they are and how they work, and their exploitation in the fashion industry.

It is estimated that approximately 75 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year on silkworm farms. It takes more than 3,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk and more than 10 billion pounds of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms that produce the silk.