Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk, announced Thursday that it has delivered the first fabric samples to Spydasilk Enterprises.
These fabric blends will serve as the basis for developing the company’s first line of recombinant spider silk apparel. Spydasilk, a Singapore-based joint venture between Kraig Labs and Kings Group, was formed to produce, market and sell spider silk-based apparel into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
These first sample fabrics blend traditional silk with cotton to produce a composite, blended material in line with the design specification requested by the Kings Group’s lead designer. Once these sample fabrics have been tested and approved, the company plans to begin weaving several thousand yards of finished fabric incorporating its recombinant spider silk.
The delivery of these fabrics samples marks a significant milestone for the Kraig Labs, Spydasilk and the re-opening of Vietnam’s economy. The textile mill with which Kraig Labs partnered to reel and weave its specialized silk, which was closed due to Covid-19, has now re-opened.
“The delivery of the first composite fabrics to Spydasilk is a major advancement for the company,” Jon Rice, chief operating officer of Kraig Labs, said. “This first delivery brings us ever closer to the public launch of Spydasilk’s first apparel line and our vision for large-scale commercialization of environmentally responsible and cost-effective spider silk.”
Earlier this month, Kraig Labs said it was rearing the second generation of silkworms at the new production headquarters for Prodigy Textiles, the company’s Vietnamese subsidiary.
Prodigy successfully completed rearing the first batch of the company’s specialized silkworms at its new production headquarters in August. Kraig Labs recently moved its Vietnam-based production operations to a new facility located in the heart of agriculture in Vietnam.
The factory is now closer to the farms and fields where Prodigy’s mulberry is harvested, providing greater access to raw materials and reducing production costs.