Cocoon Reeling

the process of obtaining raw silk by unwinding the threads from cocoons. The sorted cocoons that are to be reeled are steamed to soften the sericin cementing the threads, after which the ends of the threads are located. Because the cocoon thread is too slender for manufacturing textiles, the threads of several cocoons (from three to ten, or more) are brought together during reeling. The threads are cemented with sericin in a composite thread of raw silk. Reeling is performed on automatic cocoon-winding machines.