Story of Silk

LOCATION OF SILK PRODUCTION

Successful sericulture requires a specific climate and environment, specialised knowledge, skill, and painstaking efforts. Only a few countries in the world have been able to produce silk in large quantities due to these constraints.  Even those countries that did, like Japan, were not able to maintain the quantities since, with growing prosperity in the country, they diverted their efforts to easier occupations.

Very few new countries have been able to join the exclusive club of silk producers, and there too, like Brazil, the success has been totally dependent on supplies of raw material and technology by Japan.  Today there is a concerted effort by various development bodies to develop sericulture in developing nations such several African countries, South East Asian countries and South America, as it is recognised that the industry promotes the development of rural areas and can provide a livelihood to women in a high value addition product. 

On the other hand, the silk production in India has gone up from about 7000 tons in 1985 to about 14000 tons now.

Geographically, Asia is the main producer of silk in the world and produces over 95 % of the total global output. Though there are over 40 countries the world producing silk, the vast majority of it is produced in China and India, followed by Japan, Brazil and Korea. China is the leading supplier of silk to the world with an annual production of 153,942 MT (2006).

India is the second largest producer of silk with 18,475 MT (2006-07) and also the largest consumer of silk in the world. It has a strong tradition and culture bound domestic market of silk. In India, mulberry silk is produced mainly in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal, while the non-mulberry silks are produced in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa and north-eastern states.  Silk is a traditional product of India. It is the only country in the world to produce all the four commercially produced varieties of silk, i.e. mulberry, tasar, yeri and muga.  This has been partly due to the fact that there is a huge demand of silk products within India, which has grown up due to rising prosperity. Thus India remains as one of the most reliable and stable supplier of this rich material to the world.

Silk yarn is mainly of 4 different kinds depending on the cocoon created by 4 different types of silk worms.

These are Mulberry, Tussar, Eri and Mooga

MULBERRY SILK

Mulberry silk fabric is known as the ‘pure silk’. The undyed mulberry is very white. The fabric is the finest silk in the world. It is very smooth, strong and soft in the texture with pearlescent shimmering luster. Benarasi sarees, zari decorative sarees, chiffon and chinnon scarves/stools and organza embroidered garments are few well known varieties of mulberry silk fabric.

Mulberry silk is reared throughout Asia. Among these, China mulberry is smooth and satiny where as Indian mulberry is softer and richer in colors with more crinkly look. Italian silk is refined with elegant look and Thai silk carries natural blended textures and patterns.

Varieties and Uses of Mulberry Silk Fabric

Plain Silk Fabric – A deluxe quality thin silk fabric which ranges from 20 gm to 70 gm. Plain silk is widely used for making blouses, fashion garments, scarves, etc.

Dupioni Silk Fabric – Dupion silk is obtained from two silkworms spinning a single cocoon. It is mostly used for dress material, cushion covers and home furnishing.

Charka Silk Fabric – Charka is a thicker fabric made on hand looms. It is mainly used for the zari decorative sarees.

Chiffon Silk Fabric – A highly twisted yarn is used to produce a thin but strong fabric on power looms. After the processing and finishing, it becomes soft with smooth texture. Chiffons are used for various ladies garments and scarves/ stoles.

Chinnon Silk Fabric – Like Chiffon, Chinnon is also produced from highly twisted yarn, but it attains a soft and crimp effect after processing and finishing. Chinnon silk fabric is also ideal for ladies garments and scarves/stoles.

Crepe Silk Fabric– Crepe silk is made from 2-ply twisted yarn which are woven on power loom. Mysore crepe sarees are very popular.

Organza Silk Fabric – Organza silk is a thin fabric with rough texture produced from highly twisted yarn. It is mostly used as saree material and for embroidered garments.

Satin Silk Fabric – Satin silk fabric is widely used for various end uses which gives an elegant look. Banarasi satin sari is very popular in India as well as in international market.

Tabby Silk Fabric – Tabby silk fabric is a very light weight fabric ideal for printing. This type of silk fabric is produced in Kashmir (India) and is widely used as printed saris, scarves, pareos, bandanas, etc.

Matka Silk Fabric – Matka silk fabric is a heavy weight silk made from very thick yarns. This fabric is good for making suits and jackets. It sews easily.

MUGA SILK

Muga Silk is the world’s second most expensive fabric, after Pashmina. It is known for its natural shimmering golden color, which improves with every wash.  This stain free, home washable, moisture absorbent fabric is highly popular for making saris, jackets and home furnishings.  Produced largely in Northeastern states of India, this silk is highly durable and has the highest tensile strength amongst all other natural fabrics.

ERI SILK

Eri silk is also called the Ahimsa silk as it is spun only after the moth has left its cocoon. This creamy white silk is the most eco friendly and has soft, dull and wool like finish. Its has a strong wrinkle less body and blends well with cotton, wool, jute and other types of silk.  This silk is mainly used for home furnishing like curtains, bed covers, blankets, cushion covers, shawls, quilt, etc.

TUSSAR SILK

Tussar Silk comes in natural Shades of Gold, dark, tan, bage etc It is light-weighted and airy with a stiff and delicate feel. Tussar silk is largely used for making sarees, dresses, stoles, scarves, and jackets. It is blended with wool or cotton to make mufflers and shawls.

WASHING SILK

Some silks are washable, for others dry-cleaning is recommended. If in doubt check with the store where you bought the fabric or garment.
Do not wash Silk goods if the colours are not fast.  Before washing test for colourfastness. Wet a small piece of the fabric in cool water and then lay it on a piece of white material. Press it with a warm iron. If it leaves no colour or hardly any mark on the white fabric, then you can safely wash it. Normally silk is best washed by hand with a mild detergent in lukewarm water.
Never soak, boil, bleach or wring Silk or leave it crumpled in a towel. Do not let Silk become too dirty before washing, as hard rubbing damages the fibres.
These days washing machines often have a programme for washing delicate articles at a temperature of 30° - 40°. Provided great care is taken and the above recommendations are followed, many Silk articles can be successfully washed by machine.
DRYING

When Drying silk, rinse well, squeeze out surplus moisture by rolling in a towel and hang to dry, and keep out of direct sunlight to avoid fading and discolouration.
IRONING

Press on the wrong side with a warm iron.
Slubbed fabrics and crepes and most wild Silks should be pressed when dry and others when slightly (and evenly) damp. Finish off lightly on the right side.
When pressing Silk with a rib or slub, use a pressing cloth, otherwise the Silk may become fluffy.
Do not press with steam or re-damp the Silk locally, as water staining may occur. If the Silk water-stains, then dip the garment in warm water for 2-3 minutes, dry and re-iron.
STORING SILK

Moths will attack silk, as well as wool. Store your silk clothing appropriately. As with all fine fabrics, if you plan to store for a long time, you will do best to store in a cotton pillowcase or otherwise surround the silk with a fabric that can breathe. Avoid storing in plastic since this can trap moisture, which can lead to yellowing or the accumulation of mildew.

There have been many imitations for silk over the years, however silk has not been replaced due to its natural unique properties.  Being a relatively expensive fabric, imitations are widespread.  Due to advances in  technology for producing fabric, it can be difficult to differentiate by the naked eye and touch between real silk and its imitation, and it can be hard for the lay man to determine weaving, printing and lustering. There are special devices used to test the fabric for silk purity, however these tests are expensive and not appropriate for common use, so we have put together a few tips to make sure that you do not get your fingers burnt!

(a) Price: Usually the silk price is higher than polyester

(b) However for different silk origins, the weaving can be a measure to compare between real silk and its imitation. Since the silk fabric weaving is handmade of natural fiber and this clearly shows small flaws or joins in the thread along the warp and weft. On the other hand the polyester has a silky feeling and it is machine made fabric and has a perfect surface with no flaws or bungs

(c) Burning test: Here is one of the basic old method to differentiate between the real silk fiber and its imitation: take two threads of real silk and light them with a flame. It will leave a fine ash and smell like burned hair. When the flame is taken away, the burning will stop. On the other hand if you lit the imitation silk, it will drip and burn with black smoke. It will continue to burn after the flame is taken away.

HISTORY OF SILK
There is a beautiful myth about the discovery of the use of silk as a fibre for fabric production.  It is said that the wife of the mythical yellow emperor, a young girl called Hsi Ling Shi was the first being to reel a silk cocoon and discover the secrets of silk production while she was sipping her green tea, sitting under a mulberry tree.  As she was meditating on her tea, a cocoon from a silk worm fell into her tea cup, and as she pulled at the end of the cocoon to fish it out, the cocoon began to unreel!!  She is commonly credited with the introduction of silkworm rearing and the invention of the handloom and silk reeling.  Having said this, recent archeological finds - a small ivory cup carved with a silkworm design are thought to be between 6000 and 7000 years old, and spinning tools, silk thread and fabric fragments from sites along the lower Yangzi River – reveal the origins of sericulture to be even earlier. 

You can see the rich history and significant effect of silk on various cultures throughout the years below:

4,000-5,000 B.C.

Silk artefacts have been discovered along the Yangzi River dating to this period

2,700 B.C.

Hsi Ling Shi is credited with the introduction of silkworm rearing and the invention of the handloom and silk reeling.

1070 B.C.

An Egyptian female mummy with silk has been discovered in the village of Deir el Medina near Thebes and the Valley of the Kings, dated 1070 BC, which is probably the earliest evidence of the silk trade

500 B.C.

By the fifth century BC, at least six Chinese provinces were producing silk. Each spring, the empress herself inaugurated the silk-rearing season, for silk production was the work of women all over China. The technique and process of sericulture were guarded secrets and closely controlled by Chinese authorities. Anyone who revealed the secrets or smuggled the silkworm eggs or cocoons outside of China would be punished by death.

400 B.C.

From about the fourth century BC, the Greeks and Romans began talking of Seres, the Kingdom of Silk.

200 B.C.

Sericulture reached Korea around 200 BC, when waves of Chinese immigrants arrived there.200 B.C. to 200 A.D.

During the Han Dynasty, silk ceased to be a mere industrial material and became an absolute value in itself. Farmers paid their taxes in grain and silk. Silk began to be used for paying civil servants and rewarding subjects for outstanding services. Values were calculated in lengths of silk as they had been calculated in pounds of gold. Before long it was to become a currency used in trade with foreign countries.  In 139 BC the world's longest trade route was opened stretching from Eastern China to the Mediterranean Sea. It was named the Silk Road after its most valuable commodity.

53 B.C.

Some historians believe the first Romans to set eyes upon the fabulous fabric were the legions of Marcus Licinius Crassus, Governor of Syria. At the fateful battle of Carrhae near the Euphrates River in 53 BC, the soldiers were so startled by the bright silken banners of the Parthian troops that they fled in panic!!

220 A.D.

The Roman Emperor Heliogabalus (AD 218 - 222) wore nothing but silk

300 A.D.

By 300 AD the secret of silk production had reached India and Japan.

380 A.D.

A Roman dignitary, Marcellinus Ammianus reported, "The use of silk which was once confined to the nobility has now spread to all classes without distinction, even to the lowest."

408 A.D.

When Alaric, a Goth, besieged Rome, his price for sparing the city included 5000 pounds of gold, 3000 pounds of pepper, 30,000 pounds of silver and 4000 tunics of silk.

440 A.D.

It is also said that in AD 440, a prince of Khotan ( today's Hetian)--a kingdom on the rim of Taklamakan desert -- courted and won a Chinese princess. The princess smuggled out silkworm eggs by hiding them in her voluminous hairpiece.

550 A.D.

Two Nestorian monks were sent by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian to discover the secret of sericulture.  They returned to his court with silkworm eggs hid in their hollow bamboo staves. Under their supervision the eggs hatched into worms, and the worms spun cocoons.  The Byzantine church and state created imperial workshops, monopolizing production and keeping the secret to themselves. This allowed a silk industry to be established in the Middle East.

600 to 700 A.D.

The Arabs conquered the Persians, capturing their magnificent silks in the process, and helped to spread sericulture and silk weaving as they swept victoriously through Africa, Sicily and Spain.

700 to 1000 A.D.

A series of historical migrations, wars and other events such as the Crusades, the formation of the Mongol Empire and Marco Polo's journeys in China led to the development of commercial exchanges between East and West, and to an ever-increasing use of silk around the world

1015 A.D.

Buddhist monks, possibly alarmed by the threat of invasion by a Tibetan people, the Tanguts, sealed more than ten thousand manuscripts and silk paintings, silk banners, and textiles into a room at the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas near Dunhuang, a station on the Silk Road in north-west Gansu, which were discovered in the 20th Century.

1200 – 1300 A.D.

During the time of the Second Crusades Italy began silk production with the introduction of 2000 skilled silk weavers from Constantinople, which was the beginnings of sericulture and silk weaving in Europe.

1450 -1466 A.D.

Lyon became a major warehouse for foreign silks, but these imports caused a harmful outflow of capital, and in 1466 Louis XI declared his intention to "introduce the art and craft of making gold and silk fabrics in our city of Lyon".

1536 A.D.

François Ist gave Lyon the monopoly of silk imports and trade, thus effectively creating the Lyon silk industry

1685 A.D.

With the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, the French Huguenots, again subject to religious persecution, fled the country in large numbers. Many Huguenots were expert throwsters and weavers, and they contributed in a very large degree to the development of the silk industry in Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Switzerland.

1700 – 1800 A.D.

By the 18th century England led Europe in silk manufacturing because of English innovations in the textiles industry.  These innovations included improved silk-weaving looms, power looms and roller printing

1804 A.D.

Jacquard perfected the method of producing figured fabrics, by the use of perforated cards. This was a revolution in weaving techniques and gave a tremendous impetus to the creating of silk industry in Lyon and then in other European countries.

1800 -1900 A.D.

The 19th Century is characterised by two contradictory trends: increased mechanisation and the consequent increase in productivity in the silk industry, on the one hand, and on the other, the beginning of the decline of European sericulture in the last quarter of the century. From 1872, and the opening of the Suez Canal, raw silk imported from Japan became more competitive, thanks also to Japan's progress in reeling techniques. The rapid industrialisation of European silk-producing countries, notably France, led to transfer of agricultural labour to the cities and towns. Diseases that affected the silkworm, although overcome by Pasteur, made silk-rearing a less reliable source of income, and the first man-made fibres were beginning to make inroads into the markets traditionally reserved for silk.

1855 – 1865 A.D.

An epidemic called Pebrine disease, caused by a small parasite, raged through the industry. It was the French scientist Louis Pasteur who discovered that this could be prevented through simple microscopic examination of adult silkmoths. Much research was carried out on silkworms at this time, ultimately setting the stage for a more scientific approach to silk production

The next major turning point was to be the Second World War. Raw-silk supplies from Japan were cut off, and the new synthetic fibres captured many of silk's markets, such as stockings and parachutes. This interruption in silk activity in Europe and the United States sounded the death-knell of European sericulture.

After the war, Japan restored her silk production, with vastly improved reeling, inspection and classification of her raw silk. Japan was to remain the world's biggest producer of raw silk, and practically the only major exporter of raw silk, until the 1970's. Then China, thanks to a remarkable effort of organisation and planning, gradually re-captured her historic position as the world's biggest producer and exporter of raw silk

Mommes (mm) is a unit of weight traditionally used to measure the density of silk. It is similar to the use of thread count for cotton fabrics.

Mommes express the weight in pounds, of a piece of material of size 45 inches by 100 yards.

An easy way to convert mommes (mm) into grams per square metre (gsm) is:

1mm = 4.3056 gsm

To get an indication of the weight per linear metre of a length of fabric with width of 45 inches or 114cm would be

Mommes (mm) is a unit of weight traditionally used to measure the density of silk. It is similar to the use of thread count for cotton fabrics.

Mommes express the weight in pounds, of a piece of material of size 45 inches by 100 yards.

An easy way to convert mommes (mm) into grams per square metre (gsm) is:

1mm = 4.3056 gsm

To get an indication of the weight per linear metre of a length of fabric with width of 45 inches or 114cm would be

1mm = 4.9 grams per linear metre in 45” width silk fabric

1mm = 4.9 grams per linear metre in 45” width silk fabric