Final answer:
Making silk harms silkworms as they are typically boiled alive inside their cocoons during the silk thread production process, which is necessary for creating the luxurious fabric.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of making silk does indeed harm silkworms. Silk weaving in China, a technology over 4,000 years old, involves silkworms that are fed mulberry leaves. These silkworms then spin a cocoon from which silk is derived. The silk cocoon is typically boiled to kill the worm inside before it is unwound into silk threads. These threads are then combined, dyed, and woven into the shimmering fabric known for its triangular prism-like fiber structure that catches light. While silk is a symbol of luxury and has significant historical and economic importance, especially along the Silk Road, it comes at the cost of the silkworm's life.