The primary component of pure silk fabric is natural silk protein; the silk fabrics most commonly used in ready-to-wear garments are derived from mulberry silk.
In its raw state, mulberry silk consists of approximately 70%–80% fibroin and 20%–30% sericin, along with minor amounts of fats, waxes, inorganic salts, and trace carbohydrates. However, silk fabrics intended for garments typically undergo a degumming process that removes most of the outer sericin layer, leaving fibroin as the primary component of the finished fabric. Some specialized silk fabrics may utilize other types of natural silk, such as tussah silk, but the core constituent remains animal protein.
