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Silk is a natural protein fiber that is obtained from the cocoon of silkworm
larvae grown in captivity. The shimmering appearance for which silk is mostly
appreciated comes from the fibres´ structure, which allows silk cloth to
refract incoming light at different angles.
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Silk is one of the oldest fibres known to man. Its discovery as a weavable fibre
is credited to the Lady Xi Ling Shi, the 14 year old bride of the Emperor Huang
Ti, the so-called ´Yellow Emperor´. One day in 2640BC, according to
Confucius, she was sitting under a mulberry tree, drinking a cup of tea into
which a silk cocoon fell from above. She noticed the delicate fibres start to
unravel in the hot liquid and has been credited as the first person to
´reel´ or unravel a silk cocoon and use the filament to create a
yarn for weaving.
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Whether or not the legend holds true, it is certain that the
earliest surviving references to silk production place it in China and that for
nearly 3 millennia, the Chinese had a global monopoly on silk production. Though
first reserved for the Emperors of China, its use spread gradually through
Chinese culture both geographically and socially. From there, silken garments
began to reach regions throughout Asia. Silk rapidly became a popular luxury
fabric in the many areas accessible to Chinese merchants, because of its texture
and lustre. Because of the high demand for the fabric, silk was one of the
staples of international trade prior to industrialization.
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