Silk

Saturday, 01 September 2012

Silk - Lose Control (AuDio) + Lyrics [1992]

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Silk (2007)

"Silk (2007)" Actors

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Silk - Freak Me

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Silk - Lose Control (AuDio) + Lyrics [1992]

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喜多郎 Kitaro - Silk Road from Best Of Kitaro DVD 2001 iTunes Store ax.s...

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A U.S. Army paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team searches a passerby while sweeping a road for improvised explosive devices June 30, 2012, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

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Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, from Portugal, left scores against FC Barcelona's Mascherano during a Spanish La Liga soccer match a at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 21, 2012.

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This article is about a natural fiber and the textile woven from it. For other uses, see Silk (disambiguation).

Four of the most important domesticated silk worms, together with their adult moth forms, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1885-1892)

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons.^[1] The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fiber, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles, thus producing different colors.

Silks are produced by several other insects, but generally only the silk of moth caterpillars has been used for textile manufacturing. There has been some research into other silks, which differ at the molecular level.^[2] Many silks are mainly produced by the larvae of insects undergoing complete metamorphosis, but some adult insects such as webspinners produce silk, and some insects such as raspy crickets produce silk throughout their lives.^[3] Silk production also occurs in Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants), silverfish, mayflies, thrips, leafhoppers, beetles, lacewings, fleas, flies and midges.^[2] Other types of arthropod produce silk, most notably various arachnids such as spiders (see spider silk).

Etymology [link]

The word silk comes from Middle English, from Old English sioloc, probably of Slavic origin (akin to Old Church Slavonic elk), ultimately from Greek srikon, neuter of srikos, silken.^[4]

History [link]

Main article: History of silk

Wild silk [link]

Woven silk textile from tomb no 1. at Mawangdui in Changsha, Hunan province, China, from the Western Han Dynasty, 2nd century BC

Mountain Magpie, Sparrows and Bramble, by Huang Zhucai, 10th century, ink and color on silk.

A variety of wild silks, produced by caterpillars other than the mulberry silkworm, have been known and used in China, South Asia, and Europe since ancient times. However, the scale of production was always far smaller than that of cultivated silks. There are several reasons for this: firstly, they differ from the domesticated varieties in color and texture and are therefore less uniform; secondly, cocoons gathered in the wild have usually had the pupa emerge from them before being discovered so the silk thread that makes up the cocoon has been torn into shorter lengths; and thirdly, many wild cocoons are covered in a mineral layer that stymies attempts to reel from them long strands of silk.^[5] Thus previously the only way to obtain silk suitable for spinning into textiles in areas where commercial silks are not cultivated is by tedious and labor intensive carding.

Commercial silks originate from reared silkworm pupae which are bred to produce a white colored silk thread with no mineral on the surface. The pupae are killed by either dipping them in boiling water before the adult moths emerge or by piercing them with a needle. These factors all contribute to the ability of the whole cocoon to be unravelled as one continuous thread, permitting a much stronger cloth to be woven from the silk. Wild silks also tend to be more difficult to dye than silk from the cultivated silkworm.^[6]^[7] A technique known as demineralizing allows the mineral layer around the cocoon to be removed,^[8] leaving only variability in color as a barrier from creating a commercial silk industry based on wild silks in parts of the world where wild silkmoths thrive, such as Africa and South America.

China [link]

Silk fabric was first developed in ancient China,^[9] with some of the earliest examples found as early as 3500 BC.^[10] Legend gives credit for developing silk to a Chinese empress, Leizu (Hsi-Ling-Shih, Lei-Tzu). Silks were originally reserved for the Kings of China for their own use and gifts to others, but spread gradually through Chinese culture and trade both geographically and socially, and then to many regions of Asia. Silk rapidly became a popular luxury fabric in the many areas accessible to Chinese merchants because of its texture and luster. Silk was in great demand, and became a staple of pre-industrial international trade. In July 2007, archeologists discovered intricately woven and dyed silk textiles in a tomb in Jiangxi province, dated to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty roughly 2,500 years ago.^[11] Although historians have suspected a long history of a formative textile industry in ancient China, this find of silk textiles employing "complicated techniques" of weaving and dyeing provides direct and concrete evidence for silks dating before the Mawangdui-discovery and other silks dating to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD).^[11]

The first evidence of the silk trade is the finding of silk in the hair of an Egyptian mummy of the 21st dynasty, c.1070 BC.^[12] The silk trade reached as far as the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. This trade was so extensive that the major set of trade routes between Europe and Asia came to be known as the Silk Road.

The Emperors of China strove to keep knowledge of sericulture secret to maintain the Chinese monopoly. Nonetheless sericulture reached Korea around 200 BC, about the first half of the 1st century AD had reached ancient Khotan,^[13] and by AD 140 the practice had been established in India.^[14]

In the ancient era, silk from China was the most lucrative and sought-after luxury item traded across the Eurasian continent,^[15] and many civilizations, such as the ancient Persians, benefited economically from trade.^[15]

Thailand [link]

Main article: Thai silk

Silk is produced year round in Thailand by two types of silkworms, the cultured Bombycidae and wild Saturniidae. Most production is after the rice harvest in the southern and northeast parts of the country. Women traditionally weave silk on hand looms, and pass the skill on to their daughters as weaving is considered to be a sign of maturity and eligibility for marriage. Thai silk textiles often use complicated patterns in various colours and styles. Most regions of Thailand have their own typical silks. A single thread filament is too thin to use on its own so women combine many threads to produce a thicker, usable fiber. They do this by hand-reeling the threads onto a wooden spindle to produce a uniform strand of raw silk. The process takes around 40 hours to produce a half kilogram of Thai silk.

Many local operations use a reeling machine for this task, but some silk threads are still hand-reeled. The difference is that hand-reeled threads produce three grades of silk: two fine grades that are ideal for lightweight fabrics, and a thick grade for heavier material.

The silk fabric is soaked in extremely cold water and bleached before dyeing to remove the natural yellow coloring of Thai silk yarn. To do this, skeins of silk thread are immersed in large tubs of hydrogen peroxide. Once washed and dried, the silk is woven on a traditional hand operated loom.^[16]

India [link]

Main article: Silk in the Indian subcontinent

Silk Sari Weaving at Kanchipuram

Silk, known as "Paat" in Eastern India, Pattu in southern parts of India and Resham in Hindi/Urdu, has a long history in India. Recent archaeological discoveries in Harappa and Chanhu-daro suggest that sericulture, employing wild silk threads from native silkworm species, existed in South Asia during the time of the Indus Valley Civilization, roughly contemporaneous with the earliest known silk use in China.^[17] According to an article in Nature by Philip Ball, while there are various evidences for silk production in China back to around 2570 BC, newly discovered silk objects from the Indus valley in eastern Pakistan are believed to date from between 2450 BC and 2000 BC, "making them similarly ancient".^[18] Shelagh Vainker, a silk expert at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, sees evidence for silk production in China "significantly earlier" than 2500–2000 BC, however suggests "people of the Indus civilization either harvested silkworm cocoons or traded with people who did, and that they knew a considerable amount about silk."^[18] Silk is widely produced today. India is the second largest producer of silk after China. A majority of the silk in India is produced in Karnataka State, particularly in Mysore and the North Bangalore regions of Muddenahalli, Kanivenarayanapura, and Doddaballapur.^[19]

A traditional Banarasi sari with gold brocade.

India is also the largest consumer of silk in the world. The tradition of wearing silk sarees in marriages by the brides is followed in southern parts of India. Silk is worn by people as a symbol of royalty while attending functions and during festivals. Historically silk was used by the upper classes, while cotton was used by the poorer classes. Today silk is mainly produced in Bhoodhan Pochampally (also known as Silk City), Kanchipuram, Dharmavaram, Mysore, etc. in South India and Banaras in the North for manufacturing garments and sarees. "Murshidabad silk", famous from historical times, is mainly produced in Malda and Murshidabad district of West Bengal and woven with hand looms in Birbhum and Murshidabad district. Another place famous for production of silk is Bhagalpur. The silk from Pochampally is particularly well known for its classic designs and enduring quality. The silk is traditionally hand-woven and hand-dyed and usually also has silver threads woven into the cloth. Most of this silk is used to make sarees. The sarees usually are very expensive and vibrant in color. Garments made from silk form an integral part of Indian weddings and other celebrations. In the northeastern state of Assam, three different types of silk are produced, collectively called Assam silk: Muga, Eri and Pat silk. Muga, the golden silk, and Eri are produced by silkworms that are native only to Assam. The heritage of silk rearing and weaving is very old and continues today especially with the production of Muga and Pat riha and mekhela chador, the three-piece silk sarees woven with traditional motifs. Mysore Silk Sarees, which are known for their soft texture, last many years if carefully maintained.

Ancient Mediterranean [link]

The Gunthertuch, an 11th-century silk celebrating a Byzantine emperor's triumph

In the Odyssey, 19.233, when Odysseus, while pretending to be someone else, is questioned by Penelope about her husband's clothing, he says that he wore a shirt "gleaming like the skin of a dried onion" (varies with translations, literal translation here)^[20] which could refer to the lustrous quality of silk fabric. The Roman Empire knew of and traded in silk, and Chinese silk was the most highly priced luxury good imported by them.^[15] During the reign of emperor Tiberius, sumptuary laws were passed that forbade men from wearing silk garments, but these proved ineffectual.^[21] Despite the popularity of silk, the secret of silk-making only reached Europe around AD 550, via the Byzantine Empire. Legend has it that monks working for the emperor Justinian I smuggled silkworm eggs to Constantinople in hollow canes from China. All top-quality looms and weavers were located inside the Palace complex in Constantinople and the cloth produced was used in imperial robes or in diplomacy, as gifts to foreign dignitaries. The remainder was sold at very high prices.

Middle East [link]

Purchasing silkworm cocoons in Antioch, circa 1895.

In Islamic teachings, Muslim men are forbidden to wear silk. Many religious jurists believe the reasoning behind the prohibition lies in avoiding clothing for men that can be considered feminine or extravagant.^[22] There are disputes regarding the amount of silk a fabric can consist of (e.g., whether a small decorative silk piece on a cotton caftan is permissible or not) for it to be lawful for men to wear but the dominant opinion of most Muslim scholars is that the wearing of silk by men is forbidden. Modern attire has raised a number of issues, including (for instance) the permissibility of wearing silk ties (which are of course very much masculine articles of clothing).

Despite injunctions against silk for men, silk has retained its popularity in the Islamic world because of its permissibility for women. The Muslim Moors brought silk with them to Spain during their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.

Medieval and modern Europe [link]

Dress made from silk.

Bed covered with silk
by Georges Jacob.

The necktie originates
from cravat made of
silk from Dubrovnik.

^[23]^[24]^[25]

Italy was the most important producer of silk during the Medieval age. One notable center was the Italian city-state of Lucca which largely financed itself through silk-production and silk-trading, beginning in the 12th century. Other Italian cities involved in silk production were Genoa, Venice and Florence.

The Silk Exchange in Valencia from the 15th century, where previously in 1348 also perxal (percale) was traded as some kind of silk, dramatically illustrates the power and wealth of one of the great Mediterranean mercantile cities.^[26]^[27]

In France, since the 15th century silk production was centered around the city of Lyon where many mechanic tools for mass production were first introduced in the 17th century.

James I attempted to establish silk production in England, purchasing and planting 100,000 mulberry trees, some on land adjacent to Hampton Court Palace, but they were of a species unsuited to the silk worms, and the attempt failed. in 1732 John Guardivaglio set up a silk throwing enterprise at Logwood mill in Stockport, and in 1744, Burton Mill was erected in Macclesfield and in 1753 Old Mill was built in Congleton.^[28] These three towns remained the centre of the English silk throwing industry until silk throwing was replaced by silk waste spinning. British enterprise also established silk filature in Cyprus in 1928. In England in the mid 20th century, raw silk was produced at Lullingstone Castle in Kent. Silkworms were raised and reeled under the direction of Zoe Lady Hart Dyke. Production started elsewhere^[where?] later^[when?].

North America [link]

King James I introduced silk-growing to the American colonies around 1619, ostensibly to discourage tobacco planting. The Shakers in Kentucky adopted the practice. In the 19th century a new attempt at a silk industry began with European-born workers in Paterson, New Jersey, and the city became a US silk center.

World War II interrupted the silk trade from Japan. Silk prices increased dramatically,^{[citation needed]} and US industry began to look for substitutes, which led to the use of synthetics such as nylon. Synthetic silks have also been made from lyocell, a type of cellulose fiber, and are often difficult to distinguish from real silk (see spider silk for more on synthetic silks).

Malaysia [link]

In Terengganu, which is now part of Malaysia, second generation of silkworm was being imported as early as 1764 for its silk textile industry, especially songket ^[29]

Production Process [link]

The entire production process of silk can be divided into several steps which are typically handled by different entities. 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.^[30]

Properties [link]

Raw silk of domesticated silk worms, showing its natural shine.

Models in silk dresses at the MoMo Falana fashion show

Physical properties [link]

Silk fibers from the Bombyx mori silkworm have a triangular cross section with rounded corners, 5-10 μm wide. The fibroin-heavy chain is composed mostly of beta-sheets, due to a 59-mer amino acid repeat sequence with some variations.^[31] The flat surfaces of the fibrils reflect light at many angles, giving silk a natural shine. The cross-section from other silkworms can vary in shape and diameter: crescent-like for Anaphe and elongated wedge for tussah. Silkworm fibers are naturally extruded from two silkworm glands as a pair of primary filaments (brin), which are stuck together, with sericin proteins that act like glue, to form a bave. Bave diameters for tussah silk can reach 65 μm. See cited reference for cross-sectional SEM photographs.^[32]

Silk has a smooth, soft texture that is not slippery, unlike many synthetic fibers.

Silk is one of the strongest natural fibers but loses up to 20% of its strength when wet. It has a good moisture regain of 11%. Its elasticity is moderate to poor: if elongated even a small amount, it remains stretched. It can be weakened if exposed to too much sunlight. It may also be attacked by insects, especially if left dirty.

One example of the durable nature of silk over other fabrics is demonstrated by the recovery in 1840 of silk garments from a wreck of 1782: 'The most durable article found has been silk; for besides pieces of cloaks and lace, a pair of black satin breeches, and a large satin waistcoat with flaps, were got up, of which the silk was perfect, but the lining entirely gone ... from the thread giving way ... No articles of dress of wollen cloth have yet been found.'^[33]

Silk is a poor conductor of electricity and thus susceptible to static cling.

Unwashed silk chiffon may shrink up to 8% due to a relaxation of the fiber macrostructure, so silk should either be washed prior to garment construction, or dry cleaned. Dry cleaning may still shrink the chiffon up to 4%. Occasionally, this shrinkage can be reversed by a gentle steaming with a press cloth. There is almost no gradual shrinkage nor shrinkage due to molecular-level deformation.

Natural and synthetic silk is known to manifest piezoelectric properties in proteins, probably due to its molecular structure.^[34]

Silkworm silk was used as the standard for the denier, a measurement of linear density in fibers. Silkworm silk therefore has a linear density of approximately 1 den, or 1.1 dtex.

Comparison of silk fibers^[35]	Linear Density(dtex)	Diameter (μm)	Coeff. Variation
Moth: Bombyx mori	1.17	12.9	24.8%
Spider: Argiope aurentia	0.14	3.57	14.8%

Chemical properties [link]

Silk emitted by the silkworm consists of two main proteins, sericin and fibroin, fibroin being the structural center of the silk, and serecin being the sticky material surrounding it. Fibroin is made up of the amino acids Gly-Ser-Gly-Ala-Gly-Ala and forms beta pleated sheets. Hydrogen bonds form between chains, and side chains form above and below the plane of the hydrogen bond network.

The high proportion (50%) of glycine, which is a small amino acid, allows tight packing and the fibers are strong and resistant to breaking. The tensile strength is due to the many interceded hydrogen bonds, and when stretched the force is applied to these numerous bonds and they do not break.

Silk is resistant to most mineral acids, except for sulfuric acid, which dissolves it. It is yellowed by perspiration.

Uses [link]

Silk filaments being unravelled from silk cocoons, Cappadocia, Turkey, 2007.

Silk's absorbency makes it comfortable to wear in warm weather and while active. Its low conductivity keeps warm air close to the skin during cold weather. It is often used for clothing such as shirts, ties, blouses, formal dresses, high fashion clothes, lingerie, pyjamas, robes, dress suits, sun dresses and Eastern folk costumes. Silk's attractive lustre and drape makes it suitable for many furnishing applications. It is used for upholstery, wall coverings, window treatments (if blended with another fiber), rugs, bedding and wall hangings.^{[citation needed]} While on the decline now, due to artificial fibers, silk has had many industrial and commercial uses, such as in parachutes, bicycle tires, comforter filling and artillery gunpowder bags.^{[citation needed]}

A special manufacturing process removes the outer irritant sericin coating of the silk, which makes it suitable as non-absorbable surgical sutures. This process has also recently led to the introduction of specialist silk underclothing for children and adults with eczema where it can significantly reduce itch.^[36]^[37] New uses and manufacturing techniques have been found for silk for making everything from disposable cups to drug delivery systems and holograms.^[38] To produce 1 kg of silk, 104 kg of mulberry leaves must be eaten by 3000 silkworms. It takes about 5000 silkworms to make a pure silk kimono.^[39]^:104 The construction of silk is called sericulture. The major silk producers are China (54%) and India (14%).

Top Ten Cocoons (Reelable) Producers — 2005
Country	Production (Int $1000)	Footnote	Production (1000 kg)	Footnote
People's Republic of China	978,013	C	290,003	F
India	259,679	C	77,000	F
Uzbekistan	57,332	C	17,000	F
Brazil	37,097	C	11,000	F
Iran	20,235	C	6,088	F
Thailand	16,862	C	5,000	F
Vietnam	10,117	C	3,000	F
Democratic People's Republic of Korea	5,059	C	1,500	F
Romania	3,372	C	1,000	F
Japan	2,023	C	600	F
No symbol = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial figure, C = Calculated figure; Production in Int $1000 have been calculated based on 1999-2001 international prices Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division

Cultivation [link]

Cocoon

Silk moths lay eggs on specially prepared paper. The eggs hatch and the caterpillars (silkworms) are fed fresh mulberry leaves. After about 35 days and 4 moltings, the caterpillars are 10,000 times heavier than when hatched and are ready to begin spinning a cocoon. A straw frame is placed over the tray of caterpillars, and each caterpillar begins spinning a cocoon by moving its head in a pattern. Two glands produce liquid silk and force it through openings in the head called spinnerets. Liquid silk is coated in sericin, a water-soluble protective gum, and solidifies on contact with the air. Within 2–3 days, the caterpillar spins about 1 mile of filament and is completely encased in a cocoon. The silk farmers then kill most caterpillars by heat, leaving some to metamorphose into moths to breed the next generation of caterpillars. Harvested cocoons are then soaked in boiling water to soften the sericin holding the silk fibers together in a cocoon shape. The fibers are then unwound to produce a continuous thread. Since a single thread is too fine and fragile for commercial use, anywhere from three to ten strands are spun together to form a single thread of silk.^[40]

Animal rights [link]

As the process of harvesting the silk from the cocoon kills the larvae, sericulture has been criticized in the early 21st century by PETA.^[41] Mohandas Gandhi was also critical of silk production based on the Ahimsa philosophy "not to hurt any living thing." This led to Gandhi's promotion of cotton spinning machines, an example of which can be seen at the Gandhi Institute. He also promoted Ahimsa silk, wild silk made from the cocoons of wild and semi-wild silk moths.^[42] Ahimsa silk is promoted in parts of Southern India for those who prefer not to wear silk produced by killing silkworms.^[43]^[44] Ahimsa silk is also known as peace silk.

References [link]

Notes

^ "Silk". The Free Dictionary By Farlex. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/silk. Retrieved 2012-23-05.
^ ^a ^b Sutherland TD, Young JH, Weisman S, Hayashi CY, Merritt DJ (2010). "Insect silk: one name, many materials". Annual Review of Entomology 55: 171–88. DOI:10.1146/annurev-ento-112408-085401. PMID 19728833. http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-ento-112408-085401?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed.
^ Walker AA, Weisman S, Church JS, Merritt DJ, Mudie ST, Sutherland TD. (2012). "Silk from Crickets: A New Twist on Spinning". PLoS ONE 7(2): e30408. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0030408. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030408#s5.
^ "Silk". The Free Dictionary By Farlex. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/silk. Retrieved 2012-23-05.
^ Sindya N. Bhanoo (20 May 2011). "Silk Production Takes a Walk on the Wild Side". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/science/24obsilk.html?_r=3&emc=eta1. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
^ Hill (2004). Appendix E.
^ Hill (2009), "Appendix C: Wild Silks," pp.477-480.
^ Gheysens, T; Collins, A; Raina, S; Vollrath, F; Knight, D (2011). "Demineralization enables reeling of Wild Silkmoth cocoons". Biomacromolecules (American Chemical Society) 12 (6): 2257–66. DOI:10.1021/bm2003362. PMID 21491856. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bm2003362. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
^ "Silk: History". Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0861091.html.
^ "Textile Exhibition: Introduction". Asian art. http://www.asianart.com/textiles/intro.html.
^ ^a ^b "Chinese archaeologists make ground-breaking textile discovery in 2,500-year-old tomb". People's Daily Online.. http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/6228297.html. Retrieved 26 August 2007.
^ Lubec, G.; J. Holaubek, C. Feldl, B. Lubec, E. Strouhal (04 March 1993). "Use of silk in ancient Egypt". Nature 362 (6415): 25. DOI:10.1038/362025b0. (also available here [1])
^ *Hill, John E. (2009) Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4392-2134-1. Appendix A: "Introduction of Silk Cultivation to Khotan in the 1st Century CE," pp. 466-467.
^ "History of Sericulture". Governmentof Andhra Pradesh (India) - Department of Sericulture. http://www.seri.ap.gov.in/download/1_History%20of%20Sericulture.pdf. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c Garthwaite, Gene Ralph (2005). The Persians. Oxford & Carlton: Blackwell Publishing, Ltd. p. 78. ISBN 1-55786-860-3.
^ About Thai silk from World of Thai Silk (commercial)
^ Good, I.L.; Kenoyer, J.M.; Meadow, R.H. (2009). "New evidence for early silk in the Indus civilization". Archaeometry 50 (3): 457. DOI:10.1111/j.1475-4754.2008.00454.x.
^ ^a ^b http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090217/full/457945a.html
^ Silk city to come up near B’lore, Deccan Herald, 16 October 2009.
^ Odyssey 19 233-234: τὸν δὲ χιτῶν' ἐνόησα περὶ χροῒ σιγαλόεντα, οἷόν τε κρομύοιο λοπὸν κάτα ἰσχαλέοιο· = "And I [= Odysseus
^ Tacitus. Annals. ISBN 0-521-31543-3. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7959.
^ "Silk: Why It Is Haram for Men". 23 September 2003. Archived from the original on 2 March 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070302204114/http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=61261. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
^ Eric P. Nash (30 July 1995). "STYLE; Dressed to Kill". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/30/magazine/style-dressed-to-kill.html. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
^ Vladimir Huzjan (July 2008). "Pokušaj otkrivanja nastanka i razvoja kravate kao riječi i odjevnoga predmeta [The origin and development of the tie (kravata) as a word and as a garment]" (in Croatian). Povijesni prilozi (Croatian Institute of History) 34 (34): 103–120. ISSN 051-9767. http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=43829. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
^ Silk production in Dubrovnik's Konavle region on inyourpocket.com
^ "La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/782. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
^ Diccionari Aguiló: materials lexicogràfics / aplegats per Marià Aguiló i Fuster; revisats i publicats sota la cura de Pompeu Fabra i Manuel de Montoliu, page 134, Institut d'Estudis Catalans, Barcelona 1929.
^ Callendine 1993
^ The Malayhandloom weavers:a study of the rise and decline of traditional ...
^ Bezzina, Neville. "Silk Production Process". http://www.senature.com/sensemagazine/research-technologies/silk-production-process-go-behind-the-scenes-1701.html.
^ "Handbook of Fiber Chemistry", Menachem Lewin, Editor, 3rd ed., 2006, CRC press, ISBN 0-8247-2565-4
^ "Handbook of Fiber Chemistry", Menachem Lewin, Editor, 2nd ed.,1998, Marcel Dekker, pp. 438-441, ISBN 0-8247-9471-0
^ The Times, London, article CS117993292, dated 12 Oct 1840, retrieved 30 Apr 2004.
^ "Piezoelectricity in Natural and Synthetic Silks". http://fs.tx.ncsu.edu/Past_Meetings/Spring_2003_Loughborough/papers/081-Ellison.pdf. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
^ Frank K. Ko; Sueo Kawabata, Mari Inoue, Masako Niwa. "Engineering Properties of Spider Silk". http://web.mit.edu/course/3/3.064/www/slides/Ko_spider_silk.pdf. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
^ Ricci, G et al. “Clinical Effectiveness of a Silk Fabric in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis”, British Journal of Dermatology 2004. Issue 150. Pages 127 - 131
^ Treatment. Senti. G. et al. “Antimicrobial Silk Clothing in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis Proves Comparable to Topical Corticosteroid” Department of Dermatology. Zurich Switzerland. Published in Dermatology 2006. 213:228 - 233
^ 10 minute video talk at TED by Fiorenzo Omenetto of Tufts University
^ Fritz, Anne and Cant, Jennifer (1986). Consumer Textiles. Oxford University Press Australia. Reprint 1987. ISBN 0-19-554647-4.
^ Carrie Gleason: The Biography of Silk, page 12. Crabtree Publishing Company 2007.
^ "Down and Silk: Birds and Insects Exploited for Fabric". PETA. http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=121. Retrieved 06 January 2007.
^ "Mahatma Gandhi: 100 years", 1968, p. 349
^ Silk Moths Fly Free Kusuma Rajaiah's Ahimsa project.
^ Silk saree without killing a single silkworm Another article about Rajaiah and his methods.

Bibliography

Callandine, Anthony (1993). "Lombe's Mill: An Exercise in reconstruction". Industrial Archaeology Review (Maney Publishing) XVI (1). ISSN 0309-0728.
Good, Irene. 1995. “On the question of silk in pre-Han Eurasia” Antiquity Vol. 69, Number 266, December 1995, pp. 959–968
Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilüe 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 AD. Draft annotated English translation. Appendix E.
Hill, John E. (2009) Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4392-2134-1.
Kuhn, Dieter. 1995. “Silk Weaving in Ancient China: From Geometric Figures to Patterns of Pictorial Likeness.” Chinese Science 12 (1995): pp. 77–114.
Liu, Xinru (1996). Silk and Religion: An Exploration of Material Life and the Thought of People, AD 600-1200. Oxford University Press.
Liu, Xinru (2010). The Silk Road in World History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-516174-8; ISBN 978-0-19-533810-2 (pbk).
Rayner, Hollins (1903). Silk throwing and waste silk spinning. Scott, Greenwood, Van Nostrand. http://openlibrary.org/books/OL7174062M/Silk_throwing_and_waste_silk_spinning.
Sung, Ying-Hsing. 1637. Chinese Technology in the Seventeenth Century - T'ien-kung K'ai-wu. Translated and annotated by E-tu Zen Sun and Shiou-chuan Sun. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1966. Reprint: Dover, 1997. Chap. 2. Clothing materials.
Kadolph, Sara J. Textiles. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 76-81.
Ricci, G et al. “Clinical Effectiveness of a Silk Fabric in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis”, British Journal of Dermatology (2004) Issue 150. Pages 127 - 131

External links [link]

Look up silk in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Silk

Fibers

Natural

Animal	Alpaca Angora Byssus Camel hair Cashmere Catgut Chiengora Guanaco Llama Mohair Pashmina Qiviut Rabbit Silk Sinew Spider silk Wool Vicuña Yak

Vegetable	Abacá Bagasse Bamboo Coir Cotton Flax Linen Hemp Jute Kapok Kenaf Piña Raffia Ramie Sisal Wood

Mineral	Asbestos

Synthetic

Cellulose	Acetate Triacetate Art silk Bamboo Lyocell Rayon Modal Rayon Rayon

Mineral	Glass Carbon Tenax Basalt Metallic

Polymer	Acrylic Aramid Twaron Kevlar Technora Nomex Microfiber Modacrylic Nylon Olefin Polyester Polyethylene Dyneema Spectra Spandex Vinylon Vinyon Zylon

v t e Fabric

Woven	Aertex Airdura Airguard Barathea Barkcloth Batiste Bedford cord Bengaline silk Beta cloth Bombazine Brilliantine Broadcloth Buckram Bunting Burlap C change Calico Cambric Canvas Chambray Capilene Cedar bark Char cloth Charmeuse Charvet Cheesecloth Chiffon Chino Chintz Cloqué Cloth of gold Cordura Duck Coutil Crape Cretonne Dazzle Denim Dimity Donegal tweed Dowlas Drill Drugget Foulard Flannel Gabardine Gauze Gazar Georgette Ghalamkar Gingham Grenadine Grenfell Cloth Grosgrain Habutai Haircloth Harris Tweed Herringbone Himroo Hodden Irish linen Jamdani Kerseymere Khādī Khaki Khaki drill Kente cloth Lamé Lawn Linsey-woolsey Loden Longcloth Lumalive Mackinaw Madapolam Madras Moleskin Muslin Nainsook Nankeen Ninon Oilskin Organdy Organza Osnaburg Ottoman Oxford Paduasoy Percale Pongee Poplin Rakematiz Rayadillo Rep Rinzu Ripstop Ripstop nylon Russell cord Saga Nishiki Samite Sateen Satin Saye Scarlet Seersucker Serge Scrim Shot silk Stuff Taffeta Tais Toile Tucuyo Tweed Twill Ultrasuede Ventile Vinyl coated polyester Viyella Voile Wadmal Wigan Whipcord Zephyr Zorbeez

Figured woven	Brocade Camlet Damask Lampas Songket

Pile woven	Baize Chenille Corduroy Crimplene Fustian Mockado Moquette Plush Polar fleece Terrycloth Velours du Kasaï Velvet Velveteen Zibeline

Nonwoven	Felt Cedar bark

Knitted	Boiled wool Coolmax Machine knitting Milliskin Jersey Velour

Netted	Bobbinet Carbon fiber Fishnet Lace Mesh Needlerun Net Ninon Tulle

Technical	Ballistic nylon Ban-Lon Conductive Darlexx E-textiles Gannex Gore-Tex Silnylon Spandex Stub-tex SympaTex Windstopper

Patterns	Argyle Bizarre silk Herringbone Houndstooth Paisley Pin stripes Tartan (Plaid) Tattersall

Textile fibers	Acrylic Alpaca Angora Cashmere Coir Cotton Hemp Jute Kevlar Linen Mohair Nylon Microfiber Olefin Pashmina Polyester Piña Ramie Rayon Sea silk Silk Sisal Spandex Spider silk Wool

Finishing and printing	Androsia Batik Beetling Bingata Bògòlanfini Calendering Decatising Finishing Fulling Heatsetting Mercerization Moire Nap Rogan printing Rōketsuzome Roller printing Sanforization Tenterhook Textile printing Waxed cotton Woodblock printing Indienne

Related	Dyeing Fiber History of textiles History of silk Knitting Pandy Shrinkage Synthetic fabric Terminology Manufacturing Preservation Weaving Yarn

v t e Clothing

Materials	Cotton Fur Leather Linen Nylon Polyester Rayon Silk Spandex Wool

Tops	Blouse Crop top Dress shirt Halterneck Henley shirt Hoodie Jersey Guernsey Poet shirt Polo shirt Shirt Sleeveless shirt Sleeveless sweater Sweater T-shirt Tube top Turtleneck Twinset

Trousers or pants	Bell-bottoms Bermuda shorts Bondage pants Capri pants Cargo pants Culottes Cycling shorts Dress pants Jeans Jodhpurs Overall Parachute pants Phat pants Shorts Sweatpants Windpants

Skirts	A-line skirt Ballerina skirt Fustanella Hobble skirt Jean skirt Job skirt Leather skirt Kilt Men's skirts Microskirt Miniskirt Pencil skirt Poodle skirt Prairie skirt Rah-rah skirt Sarong Skort Slip Train Wrap

Dresses	Ball gown Cocktail dress Débutante dress Evening gown Gown Jumper dress Little black dress Petticoat Sari Sundress Tea gown Wedding dress Wrap dress

Suits and uniforms	Academic dress Afrocentric suit Black tie Buddhist monastic robe Clerical clothing Court dress Gymslip Jumpsuit Lab coat Lounge suit Mao suit Morning dress Pantsuit Red Sea rig Scrubs Stroller Tangzhuang Tuxedo White tie

Outerwear	Abaya Academic gown Anorak Apron Blazer Cagoule Cloak Coat Duffle coat Duster Frock coat Jacket Greatcoat Leather jacket Goggle jacket Hoodie Opera coat Overcoat Pea coat Poncho Raincoat Redingote Robe Shawl Shrug Ski suit Sleeved blanket Sports coat Top coat Trench coat Vest Waistcoat Windbreaker

Underwear	Boxer briefs Boxer shorts Brassiere Briefs Bustle Compression sportswear Corselet Corset Diaper Dickey Lingerie Loincloth Long underwear Open drawers Panties Teddy Temple garment Trunks Undershirt Izaar

Accessories	Ascot tie Belly chain Belt Bolo tie Bow tie Chaps Coin purse Cufflink Pocket watch Earring Gaiters Gloves Hairpin Handbag Leg warmer Leggings Muff (handwarmer) Necklace Necktie Scarf Shoe buckle Stocking Sunglasses Suspenders Tights

Footwear	Athletic shoe Balgha Boot Court shoe Dress shoe Flip-flops Hosiery Sandal Shoe Slipper Sock

Headwear	Balaclava Beret Bonnet Cap Crown Deely bobber Fascinator Fillet Hairnet Hat Headband Headscarf Helmet Hood Kerchief Mask Snood Tiara Turban Ushanka Veil Visor Wig

Nightwear	Babydoll Blanket sleeper Negligee Nightcap Nightgown Nightshirt Peignoir Pajamas

Swimwear	Bikini Boardshorts One-piece Square leg suit Swim briefs Swim cap Swim diaper Swim trunks Wetsuit

Clothing parts	Back closure Buckle Bustline Button Buttonhole Collar Cuff Elastic Fly Hemline Hook-and-eye Lapel Neckline Pocket Revers Shoulder pad Shoulder strap Sleeve Snap Strap Velcro Waistline Zipper

National costume	Albanian dress Abaya Aboyne dress Áo bà ba Áo dài Áo tứ thân Batik Baro't saya & Barong Tagalog Bunad Þjóðbúningurinn Cheongsam (Qípáo) Dashiki Deel Dhoti Dirndl Djellaba Fustanella Gákti Gho & Kira Han Chinese clothing Hanbok Highland dress Jellabiya Jilbāb Kebaya Kente cloth Kilt Kimono Lederhosen Sampot Sarafan Sari Sarong Shalwar kameez Sherwani Thawb

Historical garments	Banyan Bedgown Bodice Braccae Breeches Breeching Brunswick Caraco Chemise Cravat Chiton Chlamys Close-bodied gown Doublet Exomis Farthingale Frock Himation Hose Houppelande Jerkin Justacorps Knickerbockers Palla Peplos Polonaise Sack-back gown Smock-frock Stola Toga Tunic

History and surveys	Africa Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Ancient world Anglo-Saxon Byzantine Early Medieval Europe Han Chinese History of clothing and textiles History of Western fashion series (1100s–2000s) Sumptuary law Timeline of clothing and textiles technology Vietnam Women wearing pants

See also	Adaptive clothing Clothing terminology Costume Dress code Fashion Formal wear Ironing Laundry Locking clothing Maternity clothing Reversible garment

v t e Silk

Fundamentals	Silk History of silk Silk Road Sericulture Wild silk

Types	Eri silk Tussar silk

Geographical	Mysore silk Assam silk Japanese silk Thai silk Byzantine silk Lao silk Silk in the Indian subcontinent Tenun Pahang Diraja

Related topics	Saree The Silk Industry of Cheshire

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Silk Smitha
File:Silk Smitha.jpg
Born	Vijayalakshmi Vadlapati (1960-12-02)2 December 1960 Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India West Godavari District, Near Rajahmundry city.
Died	23 September 1996(1996-09-23) (aged 35) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Cause of death	Suicide
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1978–1996

Vijayalakshmi Vadlapati(Telugu: విజయలక్ష్మి వడ్లపతి), known popularly as Silk Smitha was an Indian film artiste who worked predominantly in the South Indian languages. She entered the film industry as an extra^[1] actress, and first got noticed for her role as "Silk" in the 1979 Tamil film Vandichakkaram. She became a sought-after 'erotic actress' in the 1980s and in a career spanning 17 years, she appeared in over 450 films in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages. On September 23, 1996, she was found dead in her apartment in Chennai, apparently having committed suicide.

1 Early life
2 Career
3 Death
4 Legacy
5 Selected filmography
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links

Early life [link]

Vadlapati Vijayalakshmi was born in a poor family in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. She left school after her fourth standard (in India, at about 8 years of age) due to the family's financial constraints. Her striking looks burdened her with uninvited attention, and her family married her off at a very young age. When she was ill-treated by her husband and in-laws, she ran away to Madras (now known as Chennai) and started living with an aunt.^[2]^[3]

Career [link]

Vijayalakshmi started as a touch-up artist for a B-grade actor, and soon got a break in small character roles.^[2] Later she was discovered by Tamil director Vinu Chakravarthy at a flour mill. He renamed her Smitha, and took her under his wing: his wife taught her English, and arranged for her to learn dancing from another teacher.^[4] Smitha made her debut in the Malayalam film Inaye Thedi in 1979,^[5] though soon, due to her marked sex appeal, she switched to roles of cabaret dancers and vamps and inevitably found herself type casted.^[2] After garnering much notice and acclaim with her first major role in the Tamil film Vandichakkaram, in 1979, Smitha assumed the screen name "Silk", after her character's name in the movie.^[6]^[7] However after it became a big hit, she could not escape typecasting, severely limiting her range throughout her career.^[2]

Silk Smitha went on to star in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and a few Hindi films. Her dance numbers, semi-nude scenes and bold performances in films like Moondru Mugam made her the ultimate symbol of sensuality in South Indian cinema. Her item numbers in films like Amaran, Hallimeshtru Kannada were also celebrated at the box office. Some film critics, historians and journalists have referred to her as a "soft porn" actress.^[8] A vast majority of her movies are considered 'softcore' by Indian standards and a common theme is her playing a freakishly strong agent in skimpy bikinis beating up huge thugs. Her acting prowess did not go completely unnoticed and in her rare non-sexual roles, she impressed critics and audiences, such as her portrayal of a wife hurt by her husband's infidelity in Alaigal Oivathillai (1981).^[2] One of her films, Layanam (1989), has earned a cult status in the Indian adult film industry, and was dubbed in numerous languages including, Hindi as Reshma Ki Jawani (2002), which too acquired cult status.^[2]^[9] Her most respected film is Moondram Pirai by Balu Mahendra, remade in Hindi as Sadma, with much of the top-drawer cast, including Sridevi, Kamal Hassan, and Silk Smitha reprising their roles.^[10]

Such was her audience-drawing power that, at the peak of her career, according to Tamil film historian, Randor Guy, "Films that had lain in cans for years were sold by the simple addition of a Silk Smitha song.”.^[2]

Death [link]

In 1996, Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment. In the prior year she had been trying to move her career to become a film producer. Financial problems, a disillusionment in love and an alcohol dependency apparently led to depression. It is suspected that Smitha committed suicide by poisoning herself.

Legacy [link]

In 2011, a biopic on Silk Smitha's life, titled The Dirty Picture, was produced in Hindi by Ekta Kapoor. The movie was directed by Milan Luthria ^[11] and starred Vidya Balan (who later won Best Actress) as Smitha along with Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Tusshar Kapoor. The movie was released on Smitha's birthday on December 2, 2011 and received favourable reviews.^[2]^[12] The same day, The Times of India published her top 10 movie scenes in its Top 10 videos.^[13]The Dirty Picture's Telugu dubbed version released in theatres across Andhra Pradesh has broken a 25-year record in box office collections (in dubbed films category). Reports suggest that the family of Silk Smitha, on whom the film is based, is not happy with the movie. Silk Smitha's brother V Naga Vara Prasad claimed the film was made without the family's consent.^[14]

Selected filmography [link]

Year	Film	Role	Language
1978	Bedi		Kannada
1979	Vandichakkaram	Silk as bar girl	Tamil
1981	Alaigal Oivathillai		Tamil
1981	Seethakoka Chiluka		Telugu
1982	Yamakinkarudu		Telugu
1982	Moondram Pirai	Headmaster's wife	Tamil
1982	Sagalakala Vallavan		Tamil
1982	Pattanathu Rajakkal		Tamil
1982	Theerpu		Tamil
1982	Thanikattu Raja		Tamil
1982	Ranga		Tamil
1982	Sivantha Kankal		Tamil
1982	Parvaiyin Marupakkam		Tamil
1983	Moondru Mugam		Tamil
1983	Paayum Puli		Tamil
1983	Thudikkum Karangal		Tamil
1983	Sadma	Soni	Hindi
1983	Thai Veedu		Tamil
1983	Nizhal Moodiya Nirangal		Malayalam
1983	Prathigna		Malayalam
1983	Thanga Magan		Tamil
1983	Khaidi		Telugu
1983	Jeet Hamaari	Soni	Hindi
1983	Jaani Dost	Laila	Hindi
1983	Attakkalasam		Malayalam
1983	Eettappuli	Rani	Malayalam
1983	Silk Silk Silk		Tamil
1983	Soorakottai Singakutti		Tamil
1983	Gudachari No.1		Telugu
1983	Roshagadu		Telugu
1984	Challenge	Priyamvada	Telugu
1984	Rustum		Telugu
1984	Neenga Kettavai		Tamil
1984	Vaazhkai		Tamil
1984	Prachanda Kulla		Kannada
1985	Ottayam	Bhagyalakshmi	Malayalam
1985	Revenge	Geetha	Malayalam
1985	Chattamtho Poratam		Telugu
1985	Shri Datta Darshanam		Telugu
1986	Raakshasudu		Telugu
1987	Aalappirandhavan		Tamil
1989	Miss Pamela		Malayalam
1989	Layanam		Malayalam
1989	Andru Peytha Mazhaiyil		Tamil
1989	Adharvam	Ponni	Malayalam
1989	Pick Pocket		Tamil
1989	Sonthakkaran	Sudha	Tamil
1990	Avasara Police 100	Amulu	Tamil
1990	Sunday 7 PM		Malayalam
1990	Bamma Maata Bangaru Baata		Telugu
1991	Aditya 369	Rajanarthaki Nandini	Telugu
1991	Thalattu Ketkudhamma		Tamil
1991	Chaithanya		Telugu
1991	Thambikku Oru Paattu		Tamil
1991	Idhayam		Tamil
1992	Naadody		Malayalam
1992	Halli Meshtru		Kannada
1992	Antham		Telugu
1993	Sabash Babu		Tamil
1993	Bava Bavamaridi		Telugu
1993	Govindha Govindha	Guest Appearance in song	Telugu
1993	Mafia		Malayalam
1993	Ulle Veliye		Tamil
1993	Alimayya		Kannada
1993	Rakshana		Telugu
1993	Muta Mestri		Telugu
1994	Oru Vasantha Geetham		Tamil
1994	Athiradi Padai		Tamil
1994	Palnati Pourusham		Telugu
1994	Maro Quit India		Telugu
1995	Spadikam	Laila	Malayalam
1995	Thumboli Kadappuram		Malayalam
1995	Three Men Army		Malayalam
1996	Lucky Man		Tamil
1996	Coimbatore Mappillai		Tamil
1996	Subaash		Tamil
1996	Kishkinda Kaanda		Telugu
1996	Kishkinda Kaanda		Tamil

References [link]

^ Anupama Chopra (September 28, 2011). "Why Silk Smitha is Bollywood's favourite bad girl". NDTV Movies. http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20110184987&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=136920.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Silk Route: Ekta Kapoor's forthcoming film 'The Dirty Picture' revisits a sequins-and-pelvic-thrust era of Tamil cinema.". Mint (newspaper). September 30, 2011. http://www.livemint.com/2011/09/30210746/Silk-Route.html?h=A3.
^ Name = Kuldip, Name= hussain (1996-09-26). "Obituary". The Independent cited in BNET. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960926/ai_n14066122. Retrieved 2006-11-09. ^{[dead link]}
^ Name = KP, Name= Sunil (1997-04-04). "Chronicle of a death foretold". Rediff India Abroad. http://www.rediff.com/entertai/apr/04silk.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
^ Chronicle of a death foretold Rediff April 04, 1997
^ Name = Staff Correspondent, Name= Pradeep (2006-10-26). "Some reel-life role models". Deccan Herald. http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Oct262006/update11483520061026.asp. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ Vicky Lalwani (February 21, 2011). "Ekta slams Silk Smitha's boyfriend". The Times of India. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-21/news-interviews/28618730_1_silk-smitha-dirty-picture-ekta-kapoor.
^ Name = Sebastian, Name= (2005-03-06). "Magic workers". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/lr/2005/03/06/stories/2005030600310500.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ Name = Bhattacharya, Name= Roshmila (2002-11-08). "Sex Sells". Screen Weekly. http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=8. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ Name = Ashok Kumar, Name= SR (2006-09-06). "A saga of success". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/09/15/stories/2006091500110200.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
^ "Vidya's nothing like Silk". Pune Times of India. September 2, 2011.
^ "First Look: Vidya Balan as Silk Smitha". Times of India. 2011-08-26. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-26/news-interviews/29931311_1_silk-smitha-vidya-balan-ekta-kapoor. Retrieved 2011-11-29.
^ "Top 10 Silk Smitha Seduction scenes". Times of India. 2011-12-02. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videols/10955832.cms. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
^ http://www.indianexpress.com/videos/entertainment/20/the-dirty-picture-irks-silks-kin/6504

External links [link]

Silk Smitha at the Internet Movie Database

Persondata
Name	Smitha, Silk
Alternative names	Vijayalakshimi
Short description	Actress
Date of birth	2 December 1960
Place of birth	Eluru, Andhra Pradesh
Date of death	23 September 1996
Place of death	Chennai, Tamil Nadu

http://wn.com/Silk_Smitha

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Smitha

This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008)

Garnett Silk
File:Garnett Silk.gif
Background information
Birth name	Garnet Damion Smith
Born	April 2, 1966
Origin	Manchester, Jamaica
Died	December 9, 1994(1994-12-09) (aged 28), Mandeville, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae, dancehall
Years active	late 1970s–1994
Labels	VP, Greensleeves, Heartbeat, Atlantic

Garnett Silk (born Garnet Damion Smith; April 2, 1966 – December 9, 1994), was a Jamaican reggae musician and Rastafarian, known for his emotive, powerful and smooth voice. During the early 1990s he was hailed as a rising talent, but his career was ended by his early death in 1994, while attempting to save his mother while his house was on fire.

1 Biography
2 Releases
- 2.1 Albums
- 2.2 DVD appearances
3 References
4 External links

Biography [link]

Little Bimbo [link]

Smith was born in Manchester, Jamaica. His musical career began at the age of twelve, when he performed under the name Little Bimbo.^[1] During the 1980s he worked as a deejay on sound systems such as Conquering Lion, Soul Remembrance, Pepper's Disco, Stereophonic, and Destiny Outernational (where he first met Tony Rebel).^[1] He recorded his first track in 1985, but it would be two years later before his first single, "Problem Everywhere" was released.^[1] An album of material from this period (Journey) was later released. In 1988, he joined Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion label, releasing "No Disrespect", and working regularly with Tony Rebel, Smith now being billed simply as 'Bimbo'. The pair began performing as a duo around the sound systems to much acclaim. The Garnett Silk Meets the Conquering Lion: A Dub Plate Selection album dates from about this time and features a clutch of exclusive recordings the DJ cut for the sound system from the mid-1980s through the end of the decade. Rebel, a Rastarfari, eventually converted Smith to his religion with the help of dub poet Yasus Afari, a close friend of both the DJs.^[1]

Singing career [link]

In 1989, at the suggestion of veteran singer Derrick Morgan, Smith turned from deejaying to singing, with a recording session at Bunny Lee's studio with Rebel, including tracks recorded separately, as a duo, and with Anthony Selassie, and he began working under his real name.^[1] The Heartbeat label's Tony Rebel Meets Garnet Silk in a Dancehall Conference compiles these early Morgan-overseen recordings. The success of this session led him to continue as a singer, going on to work with producers King Tubby, Prince Jammy, and Donovan Germain, before signing a two-year contract with Steely & Clevie in 1990, recording an album's worth of songs for them. It was the production duo who decided to change his name to Garnet Silk, in reference to his smooth voice.^[1] Only one of the tracks recorded during this period, "We Can Be Together," a duet with Chevelle Franklin, was actually released at the time, and discouraged by this, he returned to Manchester and threw himself into songwriting, often in partnership with an old friend, Anthony "Fire" Rochester.^[1]

Another encounter with Tony Rebel brought an introduction to Courtney Cole, owner of the Roof International label. Silk would record a plethora of songs at the producer's Ocho Rios studio, amongst them were the hits "Mama," "Seven Spanish Angels," and a cover of the Johnny Nash classic "I Can See Clearly Now". Roof International would posthumously bundle up these early singles and other material recorded at this time for the Nothing Can Divide Us album, which the VP label picked up for the U.S.

By 1992, Silk was in Kingston in the studio with producer Bobby Digital, recording his debut album It's Growing. Split between deeply cultural themes, spiritual songs, and romantic numbers, the album went on to become one of the best selling in Jamaica that year, and he had his first major hit single with "Hey Mama Africa" (produced by Richard "Bello" Bell) for the Star Trail label, which was Silk's first international hit, and topped the reggae chart in Britain.^[1]

Over the next two years, the singer would record with most of the major name producers on the island, both on his own and in partnership with Tony Rebel. He cut a swathe of songs with King Jammy, including "Fill Us Up With Your Mercy" and "Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders." The latter track titled a 1994 compilation released by the Greensleeves label in the U.K. and boasts seven Jammy cuts and a clutch of hits for other producers.

1993's Gold, released by the U.K. Charm label, bundled up more hits from this period. Amongst them was "Zion in a Vision," a Jamaican number one cut with producer Jack Scorpio, as well as "Hey Mama Africa". he also recorded for Sly & Robbie, including the deeply religious "Thank You, Jah" and the haunting "Green Line." But the pace was becoming too much and Silk collapsed during a show at the Ritz in New York City, suffering from low blood pressure and exhaustion.^[1] The exhausted singer was forced to cancel all his scheduled appearances for the next six months, most crucially of all, what would have been his debut at Reggae Sumfest. However, Silk bounced back in 1994 and set back to work. In a show of good grace, he rejoined Steely & Clevie and cut the "Love Is the Answer" single, another massive hit. "Fight Back," produced by Richie Stephens, was next up. By then, the singer was ready to re-take the stage, which he did with a vengeance, headlining that year's Reggae Sumfest and Reggae Sunsplash festivals.^[1] His set at the latter event was captured for the Live at Reggae Sunsplash 1994 album, released in 1999 by the Tabou1 label.

Death [link]

Having signed an international distribution deal with Atlantic Records, Silk now entered Tuff Gong studios with producer Errol Brown and the cream of Jamaica's sessionmen (including Aston Barrett, Sly & Robbie, Tyrone Downie, Earl "Chinna" Smith, and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson), to begin work on his second album. He'd recorded ten songs and the album was nearing completion when he went home to visit his mother. Silk had borrowed a pair of guns from his attorney after his home had been burgled, but had no idea how to use them. Sitting with a couple of friends at his mother's house in Mandeville, Jamaica, on December 9, one offered to show him how they worked, at which point the gun accidentally misfired, hitting a propane tank and setting the house ablaze.^[1] The singer, his friends, and his two brothers made it out safely, only to discover that Silk's mother was still trapped inside. The singer rushed back into the house to save her, but it was too late and both were lost in the fire.^[1]

Posthumous [link]

Silk's music has been kept alive by several tributes, including Macka B's "Tribute to Garnett Silk" and the Earth Day concert, and numerous compilation albums, including two collections of his dubplates, Kilamanjaro Remembers Garnett Silk (Jam Down, 1999) and Rule Dem (Trojan/Sanctuary 2006).

In 2000, Atlantic finally released The Definitive Collection, a two-CD set showcasing the ten tracks the singer had recorded during sessions for his unfinished second album.

Releases [link]

Albums [link]

It's Growing (1992) VP
Gold (1993) Charm
Buju Banton Meets Garnett Silk and Tony Rebel (1993) Rhino (with Buju Banton and Tony Rebel)
Love Is The Answer (1994) VP
Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders (1994) Greensleeves
Tony Rebel Meets Garnett Silk in a Dance Hall Conference (1994) Heartbeat
Nothing Can Divide Us (1995) VP
Journey (1996) VP
Reggae Max (1996) Jet Star
Killamanjaro Remembers (1999) Jamdown
Live at Reggae Sunsplash 1994 (1999) Tabou
Collector's Series (1999) Heartbeat
Garnett Silk Meets the Conquering Lion: a Dub Plate Selection (2000) Conquering Lion
The Definitive Collection (2000) Atlantic
The Definitive Collection (2001) Atlantic (2-CD edition)
100% Silk (2001) VP
Legends of Reggae Vol.5 (2001) Artists Only
This Sound Leads The Way (2001) Rhino (Garnett Silk & The DJs)
Silky Mood (2002) VP
The Very Best of Garnett Silk - Gold (2002) Jet Star
Reggae Anthology: Music Is The Rod (1994) VP
Rule Dem (2006) Trojan

DVD appearances [link]

Garnett Silk and Friends (2002) MVD
Golden Voices of Reggae (2005) Island MVD

References [link]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6

Persondata
Name	Silk, Garnett
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 2, 1966
Place of birth
Date of death	December 9, 1994
Place of death

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garnett_Silk

This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.

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