
UNESCO-listed Tomioka Silk Mill anchors the heritage; remaining sericulture cooperatives prioritise high-grade fibroin for cosmetic and biomedical channels.
Hydrolysed molecular weight typically 200–5,000 Da; glycine and alanine dominate amino-acid profile; beta-sheet content drives film-forming properties.
Hair-strengthening shampoo / treatment, premium moisturisers, biomedical wound dressings.
The structural protein of silk (~70-75% of cocoon mass), with hydrolysed forms used in cosmetics and biomedical applications. Distinct from sericin (the gum coating), fibroin's beta-sheet crystal structure gives it superior film-forming and tensile properties; medical-grade fibroin scaffolds are emerging in wound dressings and tissue engineering. Japanese sericulture in Gunma, Nagano, and Saitama supplies cocoon stock; specialty processors hydrolyse fibroin for cosmetic ingredient grades. Often paired with sericin in moisture-and-strengthening positioning.
| 日本 | JSCI listed (加水分解シルク); MHLW cosmetic ingredient |
|---|---|
| 欧盟 | CosIng listed (Hydrolyzed Silk); EU 1223/2009 compliant |
| 美国 | Acceptable for cosmetics under MoCRA |
| 中国 | NMPA cosmetic NCI; verify IECIC inclusion |