shown in fig3 in which silk elements 10 are wrapped substantially longitudinally along the surface of a former 300 on both an inner surface 310 and an outersurface 320 of the former 300 the former has typically a diameter between 0 5 mm but can have a diameter up to 10 m and has a long axis 325 the former 300 could also be tapered the matrix material 20 is applied over the silk elements 10 and allowed to dry and thus embed the silk elements 10 in the object application of the materials by dipping painting spraying or casting the ends 330 a and 330 b of the object 30 can be cut away and the former 300 slipped out a tubular object is thus created formers coated with a layer of wax or which can be caused to collapse into a smaller diameter can be used to facilitate removal of the object 30 from the former 300 preparation of composite materials from carded antheraea pernyii silk filaments antheraea pernyii silk filaments prepared from degummed silk cocoons were obtained from a commercial supplier the carded silk from the sepin was smoothed into flat sheets and gently tensioned to pull the silk filaments parallel keeping the silk tensioned they were wound on to cylindrical formers 0 25.