Kraig Biocraft Laboratories
An American biotechnology company developing recombinant spider silk and other high-performance polymers through genetically engineered silkworms.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories is an American biotechnology company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, focused on producing recombinant spider silk and other high-performance polymers through genetically engineered silkworms. Its technology combines spider-silk gene sequences with genetic-engineering methods applied to the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori. The resulting transgenic silkworms are intended to produce silk fibers with selected combinations of strength, toughness, flexibility, and other performance characteristics. The company's origins trace to a protein-expression platform developed by Kim Kraig Thompson in 2002. Thompson founded Kraig Biocraft Laboratories in April 2006 to develop and commercialize spider silks and related polymer technologies. Early research was conducted with biological laboratories at the University of Notre Dame, where Malcolm Fraser, a co-inventor of the PiggyBac transposon system, was based. Kraig Labs and Notre Dame used the PiggyBac system to insert selected spider-DNA sequences into silkworms. The work produced transgenic silkworms capable of making recombinant spider silk and was later described in a peer-reviewed article published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Kraig's best-known material is generally referred to as Dragon Silk. The company has described this fiber as a spider-silk-derived material with high toughness and potential uses in protective apparel, technical textiles, and other demanding applications. Spider silk is attractive to materials developers because it can combine low weight with high strength and toughness, although converting laboratory production into reliable, economical industrial output is technically difficult. Kraig's approach uses silkworms as biological production platforms rather than attempting to farm spiders, which are difficult to maintain at industrial density and can be territorial. The company has pursued both research collaborations and commercial-scale production. In 2011, Sigma-Aldrich began developing genetically modified silkworms in partnership with Kraig Biocraft Laboratories for spider-silk production. In 2019, Kraig's wholly owned subsidiary, Prodigy Textiles LLC, established a spider-silk production facility in Vietnam. This move was intended to support breeding, scale-up, and eventual commercial manufacturing. Kraig's technology platform has evolved beyond its original PiggyBac-based work. In 2020, the company reported a more advanced, non-CRISPR gene-editing platform using large-plasmid knock-in and knock-out methods. Kraig stated that this approach could remove or replace selected native silkworm silk components and enable production of fibers containing a much higher proportion of spider silk. The company has described this as its Generation III Spider Silk Technology and has presented it as a platform for tailoring silk proteins to particular performance requirements. The business therefore sits at the intersection of biotechnology, advanced materials, textile manufacturing, and potentially medical materials. Its development model involves designing genetic sequences, inserting them into silkworm genomes, establishing stable transgenic lines, breeding those lines, and processing the resulting fibers. Potential applications include technical textiles, protective equipment, apparel, and biomedical materials, but the available reference material does not establish a complete commercial product portfolio or broad-scale market adoption. Kraig remains primarily identified with the development and commercialization of engineered spider-silk fibers.
History
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories emerged from work by Kim Kraig Thompson on a protein-expression platform. Thompson developed the underlying concept in 2002 and established Kraig Biocraft Laboratories in April 2006 with the aim of developing and commercializing spider silks and other high-performance polymers. The company’s central technical problem was how to produce spider silk at useful scale. Unlike silkworms, spiders are difficult to rear densely because of territorial behavior and other husbandry constraints. Kraig’s solution was to use the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, as a biological factory for spider-silk proteins. The initial scientific work was carried out with researchers at the University of Notre Dame. The university was particularly relevant because Malcolm Fraser, a co-inventor of the PiggyBac transposon system, was working there. PiggyBac can be used as a genetic vector to insert selected DNA sequences into an organism’s genome. Kraig and Notre Dame used this system to introduce spider-DNA sequences into silkworms, creating transgenic animals that produced recombinant spider silk. The resulting research was later reported in a peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences publication and helped establish the scientific basis for the company’s platform. Kraig’s production model involves several stages. First, the company selects and designs sequences encoding desired spider-silk proteins. Those sequences are inserted into silkworm genetic material, initially using the PiggyBac transposon approach. The modified silkworms are then bred to establish stable lines capable of transmitting the relevant traits. The silk produced by those lines can be processed into fibers whose properties depend on the inserted sequences, the retained silkworm silk proteins, and subsequent textile processing. This approach gives the company a route to customize attributes such as toughness, strength, and flexibility. The company developed commercial and research relationships as it attempted to move beyond laboratory demonstrations. In 2011, Sigma-Aldrich began working with Kraig Biocraft Laboratories on genetically modified silkworms designed to produce spider silk. In 2019, Kraig’s wholly owned subsidiary Prodigy Textiles LLC established a production facility in Vietnam. The facility represented an effort to build an operational base for breeding and producing engineered silkworm lines and their fibers. Kraig’s most prominent material has been called Dragon Silk. The company has associated the material with high toughness and potential use in protective equipment, technical textiles, and other applications where lightweight, high-performance fibers may be valuable. The reference material describes Dragon Silk as tougher than many fibers used in bulletproof vests, but it does not establish a complete set of commercial certifications, large-scale customer deployments, or final-market sales. In 2020, Kraig reported a major change in its technology platform. The company described a non-CRISPR gene-editing method based on large-plasmid knock-in and knock-out operations. According to the company’s description, the method could replace or remove selected native silkworm silk components, allowing the resulting fiber to contain nearly pure spider silk apart from specifically retained native proteins. Kraig characterized this system as Generation III Spider Silk Technology and said it could accommodate more complex protein sequences than earlier published approaches. The company’s stated strategy is to use this platform to create customized materials rather than a single standardized fiber. Different genetic constructs may be intended to produce different balances of strength, flexibility, toughness, and processability. This makes Kraig both a biotechnology developer and an advanced-materials company, with possible applications in apparel, protective textiles, industrial fabrics, and medical materials. Based on the available reference material, the company’s principal challenge remains the transition from engineered organisms and pilot production to repeatable, cost-effective commercial manufacturing. Its public identity continues to center on recombinant spider silk produced through genetically engineered silkworms.
- 2020
Generation III platform reported
[1]Kraig reported a non-CRISPR, large-plasmid knock-in and knock-out technology intended to support production of nearly pure and customizable spider silk.
- 2019
Vietnam production facility established
[1]Prodigy Textiles LLC, Kraig's wholly owned subsidiary, established a spider-silk production facility in Vietnam.
- 2011
Sigma-Aldrich partnership on engineered silkworms
[1]Sigma-Aldrich began developing genetically modified silkworms with Kraig Biocraft Laboratories for spider-silk production.
- 2006
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories founded
[1]Kim Kraig Thompson founded Kraig Biocraft Laboratories in April 2006 to develop and commercialize spider silks and other high-performance polymers.
- 2002
Protein-expression platform developed
[1]Kim Kraig Thompson developed the protein-expression platform that later formed the technical basis of Kraig Biocraft Laboratories' spider-silk work.
Products and positioning
A biotechnology and advanced-materials developer seeking to industrialize customizable spider silk through genetically engineered silkworms.
Spider-silk fiber
Dragon Silk
Dragon Silk is Kraig Biocraft Laboratories' best-known spider-silk-derived fiber. It is produced through genetically engineered silkworms carrying selected spider-silk gene sequences. The material is associated with high toughness and has been discussed for protective apparel, technical textiles, and other applications requiring lightweight performance fibers. The available reference material presents Dragon Silk as a notable development rather than documenting a complete range of commercial products or customer deployments.
Genetic-engineering platform · 2020
Generation III Spider Silk Technology
Generation III Spider Silk Technology is Kraig's reported advanced production platform. It uses non-CRISPR, large-plasmid knock-in and knock-out methods to modify silkworm genetic material. The stated objective is to remove or replace selected native silk components and produce fibers containing a much higher proportion of spider silk. The platform is also intended to support customization of protein sequences and resulting fiber properties.
Biomaterial
Recombinant spider silk
Kraig's core material category consists of recombinant spider-silk proteins and fibers made by engineered Bombyx mori silkworms. By selecting particular spider-DNA sequences and breeding transgenic silkworm lines, the company seeks to produce fibers with adjustable combinations of strength, toughness, flexibility, and other properties. Potential uses include textiles, protective materials, and medical applications, although the reference material does not specify a finalized commercial product range.
Brand decisions
2020
Adoption of a Generation III genetic-engineering platformGeneration changeBackground
Kraig sought to improve the proportion and customizability of spider-silk proteins produced by engineered silkworms.
Action taken
The company reported a non-CRISPR large-plasmid knock-in and knock-out method designed to create more complex genetic modifications and nearly pure spider silk.
Aftermath
Kraig positioned the platform as a basis for customized fibers with application-specific performance characteristics. No independently verified commercial outcome is provided in the reference material.
2019
Establishment of a Vietnam production facilityStrategyBackground
Kraig needed to move its engineered-silkworm and spider-silk program toward production beyond laboratory research.
Action taken
Its wholly owned subsidiary, Prodigy Textiles LLC, established a spider-silk production facility in Vietnam.
Aftermath
The facility became part of the company's effort to breed transgenic silkworms and scale spider-silk production. The available material does not provide production volumes or financial results.
Recent events
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories completes additional $3 million funding agreement[2]
Reported:
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories announced completion of an additional $3 million funding agreement with Yorkville Advisors, bringing Yorkville's total investment into Kraig Labs to $8 million.
Sources2 sources
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