Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Processes Record 1.8 Metric Tons of Spider Silk Cocoons

The company has begun converting its largest-ever inventory of recombinant spider silk into finished reeled silk.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 1:05pm

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A highly textured, abstract painting in earthy tones of green, brown, and ochre, featuring sweeping geometric shapes, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and natural origins behind the production of recombinant spider silk.Kraig Biocraft's record-breaking production of recombinant spider silk cocoons represents a major milestone in the advancement of this innovative biomaterial technology.Ann Arbor Today

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, a leader in spider silk technology, has announced that it has begun processing nearly 1.8 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons into finished reeled silk. This represents the largest single supply of recombinant spider silk ever produced. The company expects to hold the largest inventory of recombinant spider silk in its history once this processing is complete.

Why it matters

Kraig Biocraft's ability to produce record amounts of spider silk highlights the company's technological advancements and the growing commercial potential of this innovative biomaterial. Spider silk has unique properties that make it valuable for a range of applications, from luxury fashion to industrial materials. The company's progress could pave the way for wider adoption of spider silk-based products.

The details

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has been steadily increasing its spider silk production, setting a new record of over 1.3 metric tons of cocoons in March 2026. The company has now confirmed an additional half ton of cocoons, bringing the total available inventory to nearly 1.8 metric tons. The reeling process to convert this inventory into finished reeled silk is currently underway and expected to be completed by the end of the month.

  • In early April 2026, Kraig Biocraft Laboratories announced it had exceeded 1.3 metric tons of cocoon production in March, setting a new record.
  • Since the April announcement, the company has confirmed an additional half ton of cocoons, bringing the total available inventory to nearly 1.8 metric tons.
  • The reeling process to convert this inventory into finished reeled silk is currently underway and expected to be completed by the end of April 2026.

The players

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories

A biotechnology company that is the leading developer of genetically engineered spider silk-based fiber technologies.

Kim Thompson

The founder and CEO of Kraig Biocraft Laboratories.

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What they’re saying

“The execution we are seeing across our operations is tracking exactly as we expected. That is a direct result of the considerable groundwork our team has completed over the last three years to put our production infrastructure in place and fine tune our processes in the field. What we are seeing now is preparation translating into consistent, scalable output.”

— Kim Thompson, Founder and CEO of Kraig Biocraft Laboratories

What’s next

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories plans to make the finished reeled silk available for processing into yarns and integration into textile and technical material applications. The company is also advancing the implementation of its aggressive scale-up strategy to continue rapidly increasing production output in the months ahead.

The takeaway

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories' ability to produce record amounts of recombinant spider silk highlights the company's technological leadership and the growing commercial potential of this innovative biomaterial. As the largest single supply of recombinant spider silk ever produced, this milestone could pave the way for wider adoption of spider silk-based products across industries.