According to Chinese tradition, silk production began in 27th century BCE in China. For over 1000 years, China maintained a monopoly on silk production until the Silk Road opened in the 1st millennium BCE, spreading silk cultivation to Japan in 300 CE and the Byzantine Empire in 522 CE. The Crusades brought silk production to Western Europe in the 12th-13th centuries. Today, China and India are the largest silk producers, with China responsible for 54% of global production.

2. According to Chinese tradition, the history of silk begins in the 27th
century BCE. Its use was confined to China until the Silk Road opened at
some point during the latter half of the first millennium BCE. China
maintained its virtual monopoly over silk for another thousand years. Not
confined to clothing, silk was also used for a number of other applications,
including writing, and the colour of silk worn was an important indicator of
social class during the Tang Dynasty.
Silk cultivation spread to Japan in around 300 CE, and by 522 the
Byzantines managed to obtain silkworm eggs and were able to begin
silkworm cultivation. The Arabs also began to manufacture silk during this
same time. As a result of the spread of sericulture, Chinese silk exports
became less important, although they still maintained dominance over the
luxury silk market. The Crusades brought silk production to Western
Europe, in particular to many Italian states, which saw an economic boom
exporting silk to the rest of Europe. Changes in manufacturing techniques
also began to take place during the Middle Ages, with devices such as the
spinning wheel first appearing. During the 16th century France joined Italy
in developing a successful silk trade, though the efforts of most other

4. The eggs develop into the silkworm lava, grub or
caterpillar. They eat for 20-30 days, consuming large
amounts of mulberry leaves The caterpillar moults
through four changes of skin
The silkworm spins a cocoon for protection, to permit
the development of the pupa or chrysalis. The cocoon
takes about three days to be fully complete and is a
similar size to a peanut shell.
The chrysalis emerges from the cocoon as a moth. In
cultivated silk, the grub is terminated while still inside
the cocoon so that the long filaments are maintained.

5. The moths mate and the female lays more than 350 eggs.
The moths then die
In the wild this cycle occurs once a year, but under
scientific breeding it can occur up to three times in a year.
It is slow and difficult process to produce silk fiber. There
are many factors which can influence the quality and
amount of the end product. Around 12 x kilos of cocoons
will only produce about 1 x kilo of reliable silk (long fibers)
and 1 x kilo of unreliable spinning silk (short fibers).

6. These are just some of the more common forms of silk
Raw silk - Silk in its natural form is covered with a gum called Sericin. Raw silk still has
all the gum which is dull & stiff and can be in many colours. Various processes can be
used to remove the sericin to reveal the lustrous fibre beneath.
Wild Silk - This is usually not white and is from the tannins from eating plants other
than the mulberry tree. It can be courser than cultivated silk, making it better for high
wear items. It is cheaper. Wild silk cocoons are usually gathered after the moth has
emerged, therefore the staples or fibres will have been cut, making it only suitable for
spinning. It is also known as Tussah Silk
Tussah Silk - Courser than cultivated silk and correspondingly, more robust. It usually
has small black flecks throughout. See also Wild Silk
Cultivated Silk - This has become a highly technical and controlled industry where silk
worms are raised and fed mainly on mulberry leaves to produce a near white coloured
silk. Often the chrysalis or grub is destroyed before it has a chance to eat its way out of
the cocoon, so that the fibre can be reeled off in one long fibre. See also Reeled Silk &
Thrown Silk

7. Thrown Silk - Made from the long filaments of silk up to 1500 mts long, and is
nearly always made from cultivated silk. It is more expensive due to the extra
work required in reeling off the single filaments. It requires very little twist so
retains more illustriousness, and can be woven into fabric that are almost
transparent. Also called Reeled silk. Some types of thrown silk fabrics include:
voile, georgette, organza and crepe.
Dupion Silk - This is silk which retains the lumps where two threads join. It is a
characteristic which is admired and should not be considered a flaw.
Noil Silk - Made from very short staple and contains little tangle balls of fiber
Reeled Silk - See also Thrown Silk and Cultivated Silk
Spun Silk - Shorter staples can be carded and woven, much the same way as
cotton or wool. Includes varieties such as Shantung, Mutka and Noil.
Cut Silk - See Spun Silk

8. Silk's absorbency makes it comfortable to wear in warm weather and while
active. Its low conductivity keeps warm air close to the skin during cold
weather. It is often used for clothing such as shirts, ties, blouses, formal
dresses, high fashion clothes, lingerie, pajamas, robes, dress suits, sun dresses
and Eastern folk costumes. Silk's attractive lustre and drape makes it suitable
for many furnishing applications. It is used for upholstery, wall coverings,
window treatments (if blended with another fiber), rugs, bedding and wall
hangings. While on the decline now, due to artificial fibers, silk has had many
industrial and commercial uses, such as in parachutes, bicycle tires, comforter
filling and artillery gunpowder bags.
This process has also recently led to the introduction of specialist silk
underclothing for children and adults with eczema where it can significantly
reduce it. New uses and manufacturing techniques have been found for silk for
making everything from disposable cups to drug delivery systems and
holograms. To produce 1 kg of silk, 104 kg of mulberry leaves must be eaten by
3000 silkworms. It takes about 5000 silkworms to make a pure silk kimono. The
construction of silk is called sericulture. The major silk producers are China
(54%) and India (14%).