They boil the cocoons in a solution of sodium carbonate to separate a protein called fibroin, which is the one they want, from another, called sericin, which they do not.
In the 20th century, the villagers gained some time thanks to improved agricultural techniques, and they used it to produce more silk cocoons.
She took up a knife, ran to the silk loom, put the knife on the silk fabric woven from natural silk, and said to Le Yangzi in an agitated tone: ,,,: "I reeled silk strand by strand from cocoons and, with the shuttle moving to and fro, weaved it inch by inch into this bolt of silk fabric.
