Akungabazeki ukuthi usilika uyinto yokunethezeka nenhle esetshenziswa abacebile emphakathini. Eminyakeni edlule, ukusetshenziswa kwawo ezikhwameni zemicamelo, izifihla-buso zamehlo nama-pajamas, kanye nezikhafu kuye kwamukelwa ezingxenyeni ezahlukene zomhlaba.

Naphezu kokuthandwa kwayo, bambalwa abantu abaqondayo ukuthi izindwangu zikasilika zivelaphi.

Indwangu kasilika yasungulwa okokuqala eShayina Yasendulo. Kodwa-ke, amasampula kasilika okuqala asele angatholakala lapho kukhona khona i-protein fibroin kasilika emasampula enhlabathi avela emathuneni amabili endaweni yaseNeolithic eJiahu eHenan, kusukela eminyakeni yawo-85000.

Ngesikhathi sika-Odyssey, ngo-19.233, u-Odysseus, ezama ukufihla ukuthi ungubani, umkakhe uPenelope wabuzwa ngezingubo zomyeni wakhe; wathi wayegqoka ihembe elikhazimula njengesikhumba sika-anyanisi owomile, okusho ukuthi indwangu yesilika ibukeka kahle.

UMbuso WaseRoma wawuyibheka njengeyigugu kakhulu isilika. Ngakho bathengisa isilika ebiza kakhulu, okuyisilika yaseShayina.

Usilika uyi-fiber emsulwa yamaprotheni; izingxenye eziyinhloko ze-fiber yamaprotheni kasilika yi-fibroin. Izibungu zezinambuzane ezithile zikhiqiza i-fibroin ukuze zakhe ama-cocoon. Isibonelo, usilika ocebile kakhulu utholakala kuma-cocoon ezibungu ze-mulberry silkworm ekhuliswa ngendlela ye-sericulture (ukukhuliswa ngokuboshwa).

Ukukhuliswa kwezimpungushe ze-silkworm kwaholela ekukhiqizweni kwesilika kwezentengiselwano. Ngokuvamile ziyakhuliswa ukuze kukhiqizwe intambo yesilika enombala omhlophe, engenazo izimbiwa ngaphezulu. Okwamanje, isilika manje ikhiqizwa ngobuningi ngezinhloso ezahlukene.