Five times stronger than steel, spider silk’s unique qualities were recognised by the Ancient Greeks-and more recently, scientists have looked at applications from medicine to engineering.

Now, one Japanese startup, Spiber, is exploring how spider web s could transform the clothing industry. The biotech company started by making a spider-silk-like material in the lab and has since expanded its fabric range to include more sustainable alternatives to wool and cashmere, says Kenji Higashi, head of business development at Spiber.

Spiders create web s by giving out liquid protein that will later change into silk. Kazuhide Sekiyama and Junichi Sugahara, Spiber’s founders, decided to create a material that is identical to spider silk. They studied “thousands of different spider species,” as well as other silk-producing species, and collected a database of silk varieties.

Having successfully produced the spider silk alternative, the team went on to develop a range of fabrics by changing the protein order. Spiber’s fibers are made by fermenting(发酵) water, sugar and nutrients with specially modified microbes (改良微生物) in steel tanks to produce protein polymers to be made into a fiber. Later, the team discovered that the spider silk alternative shrinks(收缩) when wet, so they modified the protein to get a fiber with desirable properties, such as water proof and increased strength, which is suitable for an outdoor jacket.

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It produces around 2.1 billion metric tons of CO₂ every year. Higashi says Spiber’s biodegradable products are predicted to generate just one-fifth of the carbon emissions of animal-based fibers once they are in mass production. And it is now developing a process that will transform abandoned clothes made from natural materials like cotton into the sugars needed for fermentation.

Currently trying to expand its production and getting ready for a full commercial launch of its products, Spiber hopes its technology will help to “solve some of the big global challenges that we’re facing,” says Higashi.

【小题1】What is a primary purpose of Spiber’s research in the lab?

A．To develop new applications of spider silk.	B．To invent a replacement for spider silk.
C．To transform the structure of spider silk.	D．To study silk-producing spider species.

【小题2】How did the team address the shrinking problem?

A．By adapting the protein.	B．By diversifying microbes.
C．By wetting the fiber.	D．By lengthening fermenting time.

【小题3】What can best describe Spiber’s products?

A．Fancy and stylish.	B．Costly yet profitable.
C．Strong and sustainable.	D．Lightweight yet resource-consuming.

【小题4】What are the last two paragraphs mainly about?

A．The practical application of Spiber’s products.	B．The environmental value of Spiber’s products.
C．The technical challenges of Spiber’s products.	D．The potential markets of Spiber’s products.