How is Silk Produced?

The finest silk fibers, and most of what we use today are produced by "cultivated" silkworms grown in a controlled environment. The worms are fed a diet of mulberry leaves and increase their body size 10,000 times in their short life span. Once the cocoon is spun and before the worm hatches through the silk into a moth, the cocoon is soaked in hot water then unraveled, producing filaments that can be up to a mile long in size.

The raw silk is then processed to remove the sericin - the natural "gum" that protects the fibers and causes them to stick to each other as the cocoon was spun.

Silk is a protein fiber, similar to wool or to human hair. It is only natural for silks to have some irregularities -- sometimes called "slubs". This is the nature of the 100% silk fabric.

Silk that has been processed can be woven or knit into a variety of fabrics. Silk will shrink, so if you are using it to construct clothing, be sure to preshrink it. Silk often has a wonderful feel and an almost iridescent sheen that makes us think of luxury.

The weight of silk is shown as "mm" (pronounced "mommy") and varies within the different types of silk.

The Hometown of Silk

Hetian, named Yutian in ancient times, means a place, which produces jade and stone in Tibetan language. It was a strategically impotant place among the south way of Silk Road. Hetian city, which we still can see nowadays, had come into being since the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1616 - 1911) dynasties. In early Qing Dynasty, Yutian was changed to Hetian that pronouces the same as today's. In 1983, the government was established in Hetian, which became the center of Hetian area.

Hetian area is divded into one city and 7 counties. It occupies an area of 24.55 square kilometers and has a population of 1,553,700, which nearly 96.9% of them are Uygur people. Being bounded on the south by Kunlun Mountains, the physical features of Hetian area is high on the relief map in the south but low in the north.

Starting from Kunlun Mountains, Yu Longkashi River and Ka Lakashi River meet and gather into Hetian River in the deep desert, which flows to Ta Limu River in a northern direction. Hetian River is a shortcut to pass through Ta Kelamagan Desert from south to north, and it is also an ideal route for tour exploration in desert. There are also Ka Liya River, NiZui River and Ya Tongguzi River, etc., flowing northern to desert.A distinctive temperate contineral desert climate dominates most area of Hetian.

It is not too cold in winter and too hot in summer. The annual precipitation of the area is thin and it prevails southweat wind with the strongest speed of 26 meters per second. With too much dust and sand, Hetian is seriously eroded area by the sand. It is also the area, which gives the earliest sign of spring in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. During March and April spring is in the air here, blooming with peach and apricot flowers.

In 1st century B.C., Buddhism was introduced to Yutian. This is the earliest record about Buddhism in China. Till 11th century AD, Hetian came to the world of Islamism after Islamism was brough in by the force.During the reign of Han Dynasty, Yutian was the closest vassal state in Tibet. After the dynasties of the Wei, the Jin (220 - 581), the scope of Yutian had developed almost the same as nowadays. Pisha government was set up in Yutian in Tang dynasty.

Since then Yutian had been an important place on the way of Silk Road, which was Four Towns of An'xi area together with Shule, Qiuci, Yanqi. Hetian has been famous of great production of crops and fruits since ancient time and also well known of silk, jade and carpet, which is the famous hometown of silk, jade, carpet and fruit. Rich in natural resources such as gold and jade, etc. and suitable for farm and pasture, it is really a fertile land.More than 1,000 years ago, Yutian's music became all the fashion in China and made Chinese people intoxicated and stupefied. Music and dance of Hetian still have the unique artistic charm till now.

The transportation in Hetian mainly depends on civil aviation and high way. It opened up airlines to Urumqi and Aksu and long-distance bus to Urumqi, Kashi and Yecheng city. Written by http://www.travel-silkroad.com/ Translated by Beijing Star-light Translation Center

Silk Hand Painted Kimono

Silk Hand Painting

Silk hand painting has thousands of years history in China. In ancient times, people were using black Chinese ink and colour materials to paint patterns on rice paper or on the surface of fans. Gradually, painting on silk fabric was introduced as a trend of fashion by wealthy people in the area of south of Yangtze River where the climate is most suitable for sericiculture. At that time, wearing hand painted silk clothes was a sign of wealth or aristocracy.

Specialized in silk hand painted design, Anthony Childs TM silk hand painting has been specially used on mulberry silk fabric. Mulberry silk worms are grown by sericiculturists at home, they are only fed with non-polluted mulberry leaves - the most preferred leaves for silk worms to produce the best quality silk, which is softer and has the finest silk lustre. One single silk thread from one cocoon is approximately a mile long, which gives the fabric more silk lustre and smoother surface. Mulberry silk is known as the 'Empress of Fibre'.

The hand painted colour is enhanced more vividly by the natural lustre of silk more than any other natural fabric, such as cotton or linen. The blend of colours on silk fabric is especially delicate, this is the most exclusive character of silk hand painting, making the pattern more vivid and look like real.

Because of the complexity of the colours and patterns, normally one silk hand painted kimono or lounge wear requires two artists to paint for 8 hours. After panting, high temperature steaming will be processed to fasten the colour. Then, a silk hand painted masterpiece is completed.

Sik Hand Painting - Drawing Outline (Step 1)


Sik Hand Painting - Individual Pattern Painting(Step 2)


Sik Hand Painting - Background Colour Painting(Step 3)

How to take care of Silk Nightwear

Silk Care

Silk is protein fiber, more similar to wool than to cotton. It is very similar to human hair. Remembering this will help when you think about how to wash or clean it. Silk is extremely strong, but repeated exposure to the sun will erode the fiber. As a result, silk fabrics are poor choices for curtains and draperies.

In general, silk can stand heat (it is subjected to very high temperatures when the gum is removed, and most silk dyes are steam set), but does not do well in extreme changes of temperatures, or in overheating through excessive drying. Some silk yardage and clothing can be hand washed if done carefully. For best results use a mild detergent (like Woolite, or even shampoo) and lukewarm water, then roll the fabric in a towel to absorb the water. Do not twist -- just as you wouldn't twist or pull your hair. Iron dry on a low setting. If you're unsure about washing, check with the manufacturer when possible. Many manufacturers will tell you to dry-clean because it is simpler and yields better results. Wherever possible, you may want to check a swatch first.

Structured silk garments and fragile fabrics should be dry-cleaned to prevent damage. Multi-color prints or hand-dyed garments and scarves may need to be dry-cleaned to prevent running. You may wish to dry-clean your garment the first time. The steaming process used at the dry-cleaners may also help to further set the dyes.

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.

Never use chlorine bleach on silk. It will yellow the fiber and may cause it to breakdown more quickly. The colors in your silk will undoubtedly fade over time, even when permanent dyes have been used and they have been professionally set. Reds are particularly sensitive to running and fading. Store your silk away from exposure to light, especially direct sunlight. Washing silk may also cause excess dye to discharge. When in doubt, dry-clean the garment or item.

Wearing silk garments is good for health.

Silk Health Benefits

Chinese scientific study has found that silk has good health benefits.

Silk is protein fibre. Silk protein is one of the only few pure proteins. It contains 18 amino acids which are similar to those in human skin. Studies have shown that silk can help to maintain the metabolism on the surface membrane of the skin to keep the skin moist and smooth.

In addition, it has subsidiary cure for certain dermatitis. Silk fabric can also protect against the harm caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun.


Silk is a kind of ecological non-pollutant natural fibre. It has unique features that are irreplacable by other fibres and artificial fibres. It is relatively resistant to ageing. Yarn-dyed silk fabric of different gorgeous clours has been made to all kinds of luxury garments, interior adornments, arts and crafts works, and tour souvenirs. No wonder silk has been acclaimed by customers as "Source of Beauty". So, what are the benefits of wearing garments made from silk fabric? Following are the four aspects to explain the benefits of wearing silk garments.

1 Silk is comfortable to wear. Silk fabric is composed of natural fabres. It is biologically consistent with human's body. Additionally, because of its smooth serface, its frictional coefficient is only 7.4% which is the lowest among other fibres. Therefore, when our tender skin meets with smooth and gentle silk, silk will keep close to your body's curve by its special soft quality to considerately look after every inch of your skin.

2 Silk is hygroscopic and readily absorbs moisture. Silk protein fibre is abundant in amidocyanogen (-CHNH, -NH2) hydrophile gene groups. Also because it is porous, it facilitates the pervasion of moisture. So, silk can absorb or pervade moisture from the air, and keep the moisture in it. At normal temperature, silk can keep the skin moisture. In summer time, wearing silk garments can immediately emit the perspiration and heat from your body to keep you cool. Just because of this special feature, it is more suitable for silk to directly contact human's skin. So, people are used to keep silk as one of the essential summer clothes in their wardrobe.

Silk not only has good thermal dissipation to keep you cool, but also to keep you warm. This benefit thanks to its porous porous structure. In one silk fibre, there are many very fine fibres, and these fine fibres are also composed of even finer fibres. So, 38% of one solid looking silk thread is hollow. There are a large amount of air among these hollow spaces. These air prevent the loss of the warmth from your body.

3 Silk can absorb sound, dirt, and is heat-resistant. Silk fabric has relatively higher interspacing ratio, so it has very good soud and inspiration absorbing capacity. Beside garments, silk can also be used for interior decoration, such as silk carpet, tapestry, curtains, etc. Using silk to decorate room not only making the room tidy and clean, but also to make the room quieter. Because of its ability of moisture absorption, moisture discharge, inspiration and porosity, silk can adjust humidity and temprature of the room, and absorb the harmful gas, dirt, and animalcule. In addition, silk fibre has little heat denaturation, so it is relatively more heat-resistant. When silk is heated to 100℃, only about 5~8% of it became crumblized. But other synthetic fibre has 4~5 times more heat denaturation than silk. Silk's burning temperature is between 300~400℃, it belongs to flame retardant fibre. Synthetic fibre's burning temperature is between 200~260℃ which is inflammable and solvent. Therefore, using silk fabric as interior decoration material can not only absorb sound, dirt, keep warm, but also can retard flame.

4 Silk is ultraviolet radiation resistant. The tryptophan and tyrosine in silk protein can absorb ultraviolet radiation. So, silk has good ultraviolet radiation resistant function. Ultraviolet radiation is very harmful to human's skin. Of course, after absorbing the ultraviolet radiation, it will cause chemical change in itself, so that silk fabric will become yellowish in the strong sunshine.
　　
Silk has been called “Empress of Fibre”. She has been favoured by people all over the world for her special charm.

History About Silk

Early Silk History

Silk was first developed in early China, possibly as early as 6000 BC and definitely by 3000 BC. Legend gives credit to a Chinese Empress Xi Ling Shi.

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.

Silk Trade

Perhaps the first evidence of the silk trade is that of an Egyptian mummy of 1070 BC. In subsequent centuries, the silk trade reached as far as the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. This trade was so extensive that the major set of trade routes between Europe and Asia has become known as the Silk Road.

Silk Secret

The Emperors of China strove to keep the knowledge of sericulture secret from other nations, in order to maintain the Chinese monopoly on its production. This effort at secrecy had mixed success.

Sericulture reached Korea around 200 BC with Chinese settlers, about the first half of the 1st century AD in Khotan, and by 300 AD the practice had been established in India.

Although the Roman Empire knew of and traded in silk, the secret was only to reach Europe around AD 550, via the Byzantine Empire. Legend has it that the monks working for the emperor Justinian were the first to bring silkworm eggs to Constantinople in hollow canes.

The Byzantines were equally secretive, and for many centuries the weaving and trading of silk fabric was a strict imperial monopoly; all top-quality looms and weavers were located inside the Palace complex in Constantinople and the cloth produced was used in imperial robes or in diplomacy, as gifts to foreign dignitaries. The remainder was sold at exorbitant prices.

[Source: WIKIPEDIA, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk]

The Window

[FW Post] Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence--deathly silence.

The following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

Author Unknown

Happiness is a choice. She is not your luck or a Valentine's gift. Happiness is a choice of attitude, it exists in everthing around you.

The Obstacle in the Path

[FW Post]In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.

Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand.

Author Unknown

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.