Microsilk™

In lieu of enlisting the help of spiders, the company takes DNA samples that mimic spider silk proteins and transforms the DNA into yeast, which the company controls and can grow at a rapid rate. Each spot in the image here is a single yeast cell that feasts on nutrients and doubles every four hours. The yeast grows and churns out silk proteins during fermentation. After fermentation is complete, the silk protein is purified from the yeast, and the remaining yeast cells are destroyed by heat via the same methods used to pasteurize milk. It's pure synthetic spider silk protein powder now, but the process isn't over yet.

It's only a polymer and the equivalent of a polyester pellet before being sent off to become a fiber. The powder is sent to the fiber lab where it is dissolved with a solvent into a liquid consistency similar to that of molasses. At this stage it’s in the same natural state as the liquid protein that actual spiders extrude from their silk glands and then form into fiber. It's extruded through tiny holes of spinnerets, the same way fibers like acrylic and rayon are made, into long strands of silk. A spinline is then used to spin the product into spools.

The fibers can then be woven into fabrics and used for production.