To someone unfamiliar with our products or project, some of our product pages might sound like gibberish! What do Ceranchia, Bombyx, Borocera, Suraka, and Argema mean, anyway?! To try to help our customers understand what we're all about, we've put together this short guide to the different kinds of Wild Silk we make and sell. Hope it helps! :)

Ceranchia

Whole, undyed Ceranchia cocoon

Ceranchia silk is made from the un-spun cocoons of the Ceranchia apollina silk moth.  Ceranchia cocoons have an inner and an outer layer, making them what we call a double cocoon.  The inner layer of the cocoon is used for our "Ceranchia Dense" textiles and the outer layer of the cocoon is used for our "Ceranchia Open" textiles.

 Left to right: Ceranchia silk moth; Ceranchia silk worm

Ceranchia Dense

As mentioned above, Ceranchia Dense silk is made from the inner cocoons of the Ceranchia silkworm. These textiles are opaque and have a subtle sheen. They are more stiff than some of the other types of Wild Silk textile.

Left to right: Undyed Ceranchia Dense textile; Undyed Ceranchia Dense textile close-up

Ceranchia Open

Ceranchia Open silk is made from the outer cocoons of the Ceranchia silkworm. These textiles are translucent and porous. Compared to Ceranchia Dense textiles, they are more lightweight and flexible.

Left to right: Undyed Ceranchia Open textile; Undyed Ceranchia Open textile close-up

Bombyx

Malagasy team members with pile of Bombyx cocoons

Bombyx silk is made from the un-spun cocoons of the domesticated Bombyx mori silk moth. This is the only domesticated silk moth species that we work with. Bombyx textiles are soft and papery, and the natural color is bright white.

Left to right: Undyed Bombyx textiles; Undyed Bombyx textile close-up

Suraka

Whole, undyed Suraka cocoons

Suraka silk is made from the un-spun cocoons of the Antherina suraka silk moth. Suraka textiles are earthy and fibrous, with a darker natural color than the other silks we've seen so far. 

Left to right: Antherina suraka silkworm; Antherina suraka moth

   

Left to right: Undyed Suraka textile; Undyed Suraka textile close-up

Argema

Whole, undyed Argema cocoons

Argema textiles are made from the un-spun cocoons of the Argema mittrei silkworm.  These textiles are smooth and lustrous and have a natural pinkish-silver color. Because of their gorgeous natural appearance, these textiles are never dyed. 

Left to right: Argema silk worm; Argema silk moth

Undyed Argema textile

Borocera

Borocera textiles are made of the un-spun cocoons of the Borocera madagascariensis silk worm.  These textiles are very thin and papery, and are translucent when displayed against light. Because of their delicacy, they are sometimes glued together instead of sewn.

Left to right: Borocera silk worm; Borocera moth (male)

Deborrea

Deborrea seyrigi cocoons

 Deborrea textiles are made of the un-spun cocoons of the Deborrea seyrigi silk worm. These textiles are also thin and papery, and are used for similar products as the Borocera cocoons.

Deborrea textile close-up