Only Silk is Silk
Secrecy & Profits
History tells us that Silk was discovered in China over 5000 years ago, by the Empress Hsi Ling.
Purely by accident she discovered that the cocoons of the moth Bombyx Mori, which she found on groves of mulberry trees in the palace grounds, could be unwound to produce a strong, fine fibre which could be woven into cloth.
So highly regarded was the cultivation of Silk (sericulture) and its end-product that the secret was jealously guarded for over 3000 years.
But with an increasing thirst for profits, intrepid merchant travellers made the arduous journey along what became known as the Silk Road - from Xi'an (the home of the Terracotta Warriors) some 4000 miles to the main trading ports along the Mediterranean coast via Samarkand & Tashkent - to bring the luxury of Silk to richest families in the West.
Today, the vast majority of Silk is produced in China. Several abortive attempts have been made in past centuries to develop sericulture in Europe, but none has proved successful.
It takes around 500 silkworms (the larva of Bombyx Mori) and 15 kilos of mulberry leaves to produce 1 kilo of cocoons. Each cocoon yields a continuous thread between 1000 & 2000 metres in length. Usually 6 or 8 individual threads are twisted together to enable the Silk to be woven or knitted into the finished cloth.
The Ties&Scarfs Design Studio recommends Silk for its elegance, affinity to dye and its resilience.
Purely by accident she discovered that the cocoons of the moth Bombyx Mori, which she found on groves of mulberry trees in the palace grounds, could be unwound to produce a strong, fine fibre which could be woven into cloth.
So highly regarded was the cultivation of Silk (sericulture) and its end-product that the secret was jealously guarded for over 3000 years.
But with an increasing thirst for profits, intrepid merchant travellers made the arduous journey along what became known as the Silk Road - from Xi'an (the home of the Terracotta Warriors) some 4000 miles to the main trading ports along the Mediterranean coast via Samarkand & Tashkent - to bring the luxury of Silk to richest families in the West.
Today, the vast majority of Silk is produced in China. Several abortive attempts have been made in past centuries to develop sericulture in Europe, but none has proved successful.
It takes around 500 silkworms (the larva of Bombyx Mori) and 15 kilos of mulberry leaves to produce 1 kilo of cocoons. Each cocoon yields a continuous thread between 1000 & 2000 metres in length. Usually 6 or 8 individual threads are twisted together to enable the Silk to be woven or knitted into the finished cloth.
The Ties&Scarfs Design Studio recommends Silk for its elegance, affinity to dye and its resilience.