… approximately 100 worms died to make one silk tie or one silk scarf …

The caterpillars of a Chinese moth, silkworms, no longer occur naturally (in the wild). They spin fibrous cocoons around themselves for protection when they are preparing to become a chrysalis. The cocoon is secreted as a continuous filament by glands in the head. Commercially, the chrysalis is killed by heat while still in the cocoon to prevent the adult moth emerging and breaking the fibre. Some moths are bred (allowed to emerge from the cocoon), as stock for the next generation of silkworms. The cocoons are then softened in hot water, then the (nearly mile-long) filaments are unwound to make yarn. Human workers who extract the fibre work in poor conditions, for low pay.

Industrialisation can produce 100 kg of raw silk per hectare per year on good agricultural land. One silkworm produces only about 0.2 grams of raw silk. This means around half a million silkworms, (who eat 12 tons of mulberry leaves) are bred and killed. The lives of 100 worms are needed for each silk tie or scarf.

Alternative fibres with the same qualities as silk, but without the exploitation of animals, people and the environment (land which could be left for wildlife or used to grow food) are less expensive.