Editing Silk (section)

==Production process==
The process of silk production is known as [[sericulture]].<ref>{{cite book |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=6XvPBQAAQBAJ |page=507}} |title=Entomology and Pest Management: Sixth Edition |last1=Pedigo |first1=Larry P. |last2=Rice |first2=Marlin E. |year=2014 |publisher=Waveland Press |isbn=978-1478627708 |language=en}}</ref> The entire production process of silk can be divided into several steps which are typically handled by different entities.{{clarify|date=November 2014}}<!--If the word "entities" is to be used, examples of these entities ought to be given. Otherwise, a more specific word should be used here. The reader will have no idea what types of "entities" these are.--> Extracting raw silk starts by cultivating the silkworms on mulberry leaves. Once the worms start pupating in their cocoons, these are dissolved in boiling water in order for individual long fibres to be extracted and fed into the spinning reel.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bezzina|first=Neville|title=Silk Production Process|url=http://www.senature.com/sensemagazine/research-technologies/silk-production-process-go-behind-the-scenes-1701.html|publisher=senature.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629231032/http://www.senature.com/sensemagazine/research-technologies/silk-production-process-go-behind-the-scenes-1701.html|archive-date=29 June 2012}}</ref>

To produce 1&nbsp;kg of silk, 104&nbsp;kg of mulberry leaves must be eaten by 3000 silkworms. It takes about 5000 silkworms to make a pure silk [[kimono]].<ref>Fritz, Anne and Cant, Jennifer (1986). ''Consumer Textiles''. [[Oxford University Press]] Australia. Reprint 1987. {{ISBN|0-19-554647-4}}.</ref>{{Rp|104}} The major silk producers are [[China]] (54%) and [[India]] (14%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brasstacksmadras.com/TF_Mulberry.htm |title=Mulberry Silk – Textile Fibres – Handloom Textiles {{pipe}} Handwoven Fabrics {{pipe}} Natural Fabrics {{pipe}} Cotton clothes in Chennai |publisher=Brasstacksmadras.com |access-date=2013-11-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109173104/http://www.brasstacksmadras.com/TF_Mulberry.htm |archive-date=9 November 2013}}</ref> Other statistics:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://inserco.org/en/?q=statistics|title=Statistics|publisher=inserco.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126035307/http://inserco.org/en/?q=statistics|archive-date=26 January 2016}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="width:100%; float:left; clear:left;"
|-
! colspan=5|Top Ten Cocoons (Reelable) Producers – 2005
|-
! style="background:#ddf; width:30%;"|Country
! style="background:#ddf; width:25%;"|Production {{nowrap|(Int $1000)}}
! style="background:#ddf; width:10%;"|Footnote
! style="background:#ddf; width:25%;"|Production {{nowrap|(1000 kg)}}
! style="background:#ddf; width:10%;"|Footnote
|-
|{{PRC}}||978,013||C||290,003||F
|-
|{{IND}}||259,679||C||77,000||F
|-
|{{UZB}}||57,332||C||17,000||F
|-
|{{BRA}}||37,097||C||11,000||F
|-
|{{IRN}}||20,235||C||6,088||F
|-
|{{THA}}||16,862||C||5,000||F
|-
|{{VNM}}||10,117||C||3,000||F
|-
|{{DPRK}}||5,059||C||1,500||F
|-
|{{ROU}}||3,372||C||1,000||F
|-
|{{JPN}}||2,023||C||600||F
|-
|colspan=5 style="font-size:.7em"|No symbol = official figure, F = FAO estimate,*= Unofficial figure, C = Calculated figure;<br />
Production in Int $1000 have been calculated based on 1999–2001 international prices<br />
Source: [http://www.fao.org/es/ess/top/commodity.html?lang=en&item=1185&year=2005 Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division]
|}

The environmental impact of silk production is potentially large when compared with other natural fibers. A [[life-cycle assessment]] of Indian silk production shows that the production process has a large carbon and water footprint, mainly due to the fact that it is an animal-derived fiber and more inputs such as fertilizer and water are needed per unit of fiber produced.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Astudillo|first1=Miguel F.|last2=Thalwitz|first2=Gunnar|last3=Vollrath|first3=Fritz|title=Life cycle assessment of Indian silk|journal=Journal of Cleaner Production|date=October 2014|volume=81|pages=158–167|doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.06.007|bibcode=2014JCPro..81..158A }}</ref>