CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Silk is highly priced all throughout the world ever since its discovery more than

4000 years ago in China. It made its way into our shores through trading and it

influenced the way our ancestors clothing and garments.

Sericulture, the production of raw silk by raising silkworms, and silk processing is

a small industry in our country and many of us still are unfamiliar about the potential that

this possesses. Over the past decades Philippine silk production declined by about 50%

because of the little support from the government, lack knowledge and experience for

raising of silkworm and farming of mulberry plants, lack of proper irrigation, and lack of

adequate facility and technology to support the industry. It makes the demand for

Philippine silk higher supplying only 2% of the yearly demand.

But recently, the government is actively showing support and is introducing the

industry to possible investors. With the help of Philippine Fiber Industry Development

Authority (PHILFIDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Philippine

Sericulture has an even brighter future.

This study aims to be a significant body of the industry and help introduce it to

the more urbanized parts of Luzon like region III and Region IV and bring it closer to

center of trade of the country which is the NCR and to convince farmers to try and
support the industry. It also aims to provide architectural solutions to help make its

operations easier and more effective.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Sericulture industry in the Philippines is struggling to keep up to the high demand

despite the good quality silk the farmers produced. Silkworms raisers lack proper

Rearing houses and silk processors are few. There are only few institutions that teach

farmers on proper skills and techniques for the successful farming of mulberry trees and

raising of silkworms.

But despite of these problems the government still sees the good potential of the

industry because of the large demand of Philippine silk. The industry can be one major

contributor to the countries income in terms of agriculture. The problems that the

industry is currently facing can be solved through further research and support from the

government and the community.

In response to these problems, the researcher envisions to help the growing

industry and to support the campaign of the government through this study and

architectural programming and recommendations.

Major Problem:

 An adequate facility for the raising and research of silkworms and

mulberry for the sufficient supply and processing of raw silk that will be a

contributor to the sericulture industry of the country.

Sub problems:

 What would be the best site available for the proposal that is still has easy

access to the more urbanized parts Luzon?

 How much silk can the chosen site produce?

 What are the design parameters needed for the effective silk farming and

silk processing?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

 This study will serve as basis for anyone who wishes to pursue the fulfillment of

the proposed facility

 This research will benefit the industry of sericulture and farmers and workers

which are part of it and other entities who wish to be also become a part of it

 The study wishes to introduce the industry to the general public in order for it to

be widely known and attract support and investors

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal

- To provide a facility that can be one of the significant contributor to the

Philippine sericulture industry

Objectives
 1. To be able to come up with the best site for the proposal that satisfies

all the condition it demands

2. To determine how much silk the proposal can produce

3. To provide with the right parameters and guidelines in designing the

facilities for this proposal

SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS

Scope

This study mainly provides data involving the proposal. It will focus only on the

functions of the building/s and the architectural design and conceptualization of the

facilities and its applications. This also covers the analysis of the chosen sites, its

zoning, land use, space programming and the implementation of the different guidelines

and laws that governs the proposal.

Delimitation

However this study delimits structural analysis and computations, mechanical

specifications for the machineries and equipment, plumbing computations, electrical

computations.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

The researcher hereby justifies that this study of Sericulture and silk processing

facility is not a duplication of any known research and study. The data and information

in this study were gathered by the researcher from various credible sources and later on

analyzed.
DEFINITION OF TERMS, ABBREVIATIONS

Silkworms - the commercially bred caterpillar of the domesticated silkworm moth

( Bombyx mori ), which spins a silk cocoon that is processed to yield silk fiber.

Mulberry - a small deciduous tree with broad leaves, native to East Asia and

long cultivated elsewhere. The only plant silkworms eat.

Sericulture - the production of silk and the rearing of silkworms for this purpose.

Rearing houses – a building in which silkworms are kept and fed until before

they become cocoons

Loom - an apparatus for making fabric by weaving yarn or thread

SRDI – Sericulture Research and Development Institute

PTRI – Philippine Textile Research Institute

PhilFIDA – Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority

Reeling – the process of extracting silk fiber from the silkworm cocoon

Cold Storage - This is where silkworm eggs are stored until they hatch. This

area is best partially underground dimly lit. temperature must be maintained at

24-29 degrees Celsius and humidity at 80%

Drying Area - This where the process of killing the pupae inside the cocoons

without interfering the cocoon shell.

 Booking Area - In this area, the method of making the skeins appear like

neat book with eight skeins in a horizontal row and five skeins with separate in a

vertical row. Neatly ties the skeins with separate bands at three different places

and wrapped with tissue paper to prevent the raw silk from absorbing moisture.

Rearing Bed – A container that silkworms live in, usually made of wooden

frame and net.

Skeining Area - this is where the process of twisting the hanks takes place using a

simple apparatus known as skeining machine or turner.

Cooking Area - This is where the process of softening the cocoon shell takes place by

partially dissolving the sericin gummy substance that binds the silk filaments. Stoves

should be provided on a tiled pedestal with sinks and source of water.

Doubling machine - For doubling yarn to produce desired size

Serigraph - To determine silk tenacity & elongation at

breaking point for silk yarn.

Cohesion tester - To determine cohesion of silk yarn forming a

Thread

Seri-plane - To determine the quality and number of

cleanness tests and degree of size variations

Degumming and dyeing vats - To ensure good quality of dyed silk yarn and

Fabrics.