TOKYO — A company in Yamagata Prefecture has become the first in the world to successfully mass-produce artificial spider silk, a “dream fiber” that could be used in everything from clothing to aircraft.

Created by implanting altered spider genes into microorganisms that can mass-produce silk efficiently, the light, strong and flexible material was unveiled to the media as a stylish dress in Tokyo last week.

Spiber Inc. President Kazuhide Sekiyama founded the Tsuruoka-based company with two friends six years ago when he was a graduate student at Keio University with the aim of developing a “dream fiber.”

“When we started the research, we were told our plan was crazy,” Sekiyama said. “But we’re on the verge of putting the fiber into practical use.”

Sekiyama, 30, plans to complete a factory in November that can produce 220 pounds of spider silk a month.

With further refinements, the silk is expected to be as strong as carbon fiber and as elastic as rubber.

The company plans to advance research into potential applications as a fiber for vehicles, aircraft and medical materials such as artificial blood vessels.