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 yamasampula asuka 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 ebuhleni obukhazimulayo bendwangu 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 ocebile 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 ngezinjongo ezihlukahlukene.