Akungabazeki ukuthi usilika uyimpahla kanokusho nenhle esetshenziswa abantu abacebile emphakathini. Ngokuhamba kweminyaka, ukusetshenziswa kwayo kuma-pillowcase, izifihla-buso nezingubo zokulala, nezikhafu kuye kwamukelwa ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba.

Naphezu kokuthandwa kwayo, abantu abambalwa kuphela abaqonda ukuthi izindwangu zikasilika zivelaphi.

Indwangu kasilika yaqala ukuthuthukiswa e-Ancient China. Kodwa-ke, amasampula kasilika okuqala asekhona angatholakala ebukhoneni be-protein kasilika i-fibroin enhlabathini evela emathuneni amabili endaweni ye-Neolithic e-Jiahu e-Henan, ehlehlela emuva ku-85000.

Ngesikhathi sika-Odyssey, i-19.233, u-Odysseus, ezama ukufihla ukuthi ungubani, umkakhe uPenelope wabuzwa ngezingubo zomyeni wakhe; wathi wayegqoke ihembe elibenyezela njengesikhumba sika-anyanisi omisiwe libhekisela eqophelweni elikhazimulayo lendwangu kasilika.

UMbuso WamaRoma wawuwazisa kakhulu usilika. Ngakho bahweba ngosilika onenani eliphezulu kakhulu, okuwusilika waseShayina.

Usilika uyi-protein fiber ehlanzekile; izingxenye eziyinhloko ze-protein fiber kasilika yi-fibroin. Izibungu zezinye izinambuzane zikhiqiza i-fibroin ukuze zakhe imifece. Ngokwesibonelo, usilika ocebe kakhulu utholakala emifeceni yezibungu zikasilika zikamalibhele ezikhuliswa ngendlela ye-sericulture (ukukhulisa ngokuthunjwa).

Ukukhuliswa kweziphungumangathi zombungu kasilika kwaholela ekukhiqizeni usilika ngenjongo yokudayisa. Ngokuvamile zifuywa ukuze zikhiqize intambo kasilika enombala omhlophe, engenawo amaminerali phezulu. Okwamanje, usilika manje ukhiqizwa ngobuningi ngezinhloso ezihlukahlukene.