Silk is produced by attaining cocoons from silkworms. The cocoons are then boiled with the silkworm inside, and the silk filaments are first extracted, then washed, dyed, spun, and eventually woven into the textile. Some have criticized the production of silk, believing that boiling alive the worms is a cruel practice and that cocoons should only be harvested after the moth hatches. Others, however, see no issue with the procedure as worms are not particularly sentient creatures.

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Generally, silk is considered to be one of the more sustainable fibers. It is a renewable resource, biodegradable, and uses less energy, water, and chemicals to produce than many other textiles. However, the ethics of the production of the material has been questioned by many for the industry practice of boiling the worms in addition to a large amount of child labor in the silk industry, particularly in South-East Asia/India. However, when sustainably sourced, silk is a very eco friendly material. New silk alternatives are also being created to solve some of the ethical concerns, such as a silk created from the fermentation of yeast, water, and sugar by the company Bolt Threads.

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ASTM D276 for fabric identification test method

ASTM D629 for quantitative analysis of textiles

ASTM D6413 for flame resistance of textiles

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International Silk Association

International Silk Union