To grow production capacity and maximise the new rearing centre, Kraig Labs has divided its BAM-1 lines into two groups.
20% of this batch consists of BAM-1 hybrids intended for reeling finished silk, while the remaining 80% is split evenly between two BAM-1 parental lines. These parental lines will be crossbred to produce millions of BAM-1 hybrid silkworm eggs for future production cycles.
The first-generation hybrids, created by crossbreeding the two BAM-1 parental lines, are expected to yield larger production cocoons, increased robustness, and improved reeling performance.
To support this, Kraig Labs maintains a small population of BAM-1 parental lines raised in parallel with the hybrids during each production cycle.
This focus on the parental lines for the current cycle aims to rapidly increase the availability of first-generation BAM-1 hybrid eggs.
This record-setting production cycle underscores Kraig Labs’ ongoing commitment to scaling the production of its advanced silk materials, moving closer to revolutionising the performance materials market.
The substantial increase in both the volume and scale of silkworm-based spider silk manufacturing positions the company to better meet the diverse needs of various markets.
“This milestone BAM-1 production run exemplifies our commitment to scaling the production of our unique spider silk fibres,” said company founder and CEO, Kim Thompson. “As we continue to break new ground in performance materials, this expanded capacity represents a key advancement toward full-scale commercial production.”
