Silk is an amazing luxurious material with a history that goes back to 2700 BC. Until the Silk Road introduced it to the rest of the world in 1 BC, China was the only producer and consumer of silk, and it used silk in everything from clothing to writing paper. Silk was truly a material that was reserved for those who could afford it, and wearing silk was often considered sign of wealth and affluence, especially during the Tang Dynasty.
It wasn't until 300 AD that silk production spread to Japan, and by 522, the Byzantines had obtained the technique. Around about this time period, the Arabs began manufacturing silk as well, and because sericulture was becoming more well known, silk imports from China became less important. Western countries like Italy began to export their own silk and the Renaissance saw a change in the method of production. France also started to trade silk with Italy, and they remained the two leaders when it came to silk in the European world that did not come from China.
The Industrial Revolution changed the production of silk in Europe. The spinning wheel made spinning cotton much easier and much more economical and this meant that silk production began to look more pricey by comparison. An epidemic of silkworm disease dealt French sericulture a blow that it never recovered from, and then Japan began to produce silk and to export it. China today is still the largest exporter of silk in the world, and the material retains its popularity despite other materials like nylon and rayon appearing on the scene.
With the sericulture epidemic in France serving as a grim warning, Japan began to modernize its own silk production, and during this time they were the world's largest produces of silk. While Italy recovered from the European silkworm epidemic, France never would. For the most part, Italy and France stopped growing silk for export, and Japan began to import raw silk about the time that European silk manufacturers stopped. At this point, Japan and other Asian countries started to export more silk.
During the second World War, Japan did not export silk and the Western countries needed to find replacements. This is when fabrics like nylon started to see more use, and after the events of World War II, Japanese silk production never improved.
However, it is still important to remember that technology had greatly improved the way that silk was manufactured and though nylon was still used as a substitute, Japan still took its place as the leader in raw silk exports after the war. By 1975, Japan was no longer exporting raw silk materials to the rest of the world.
Today, China is the world's larges silk producer. For instance, in 1996, they produced upwards of 58,000 tons of silk, followed by India with 13,000 tons of silk. Japan only produced 2,500 tons. However, during the nineties, there was an increasingly low demand for silk on a global level, though the production of silk was still fairly strong in India and in the United Kingdom. Silk did have some issues where there were problems with low quality examples tarnishing its image.
At this point in time, more than 125,000 tons of silk are being produced all over the world, and though China is the main producer, it is far from alone. The United States, Thailand, India, Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Brazil also produce silk and the Unites States is the world's largest silk importer.
It wasn't until 300 AD that silk production spread to Japan, and by 522, the Byzantines had obtained the technique. Around about this time period, the Arabs began manufacturing silk as well, and because sericulture was becoming more well known, silk imports from China became less important. Western countries like Italy began to export their own silk and the Renaissance saw a change in the method of production. France also started to trade silk with Italy, and they remained the two leaders when it came to silk in the European world that did not come from China.
The Industrial Revolution changed the production of silk in Europe. The spinning wheel made spinning cotton much easier and much more economical and this meant that silk production began to look more pricey by comparison. An epidemic of silkworm disease dealt French sericulture a blow that it never recovered from, and then Japan began to produce silk and to export it. China today is still the largest exporter of silk in the world, and the material retains its popularity despite other materials like nylon and rayon appearing on the scene.
With the sericulture epidemic in France serving as a grim warning, Japan began to modernize its own silk production, and during this time they were the world's largest produces of silk. While Italy recovered from the European silkworm epidemic, France never would. For the most part, Italy and France stopped growing silk for export, and Japan began to import raw silk about the time that European silk manufacturers stopped. At this point, Japan and other Asian countries started to export more silk.
During the second World War, Japan did not export silk and the Western countries needed to find replacements. This is when fabrics like nylon started to see more use, and after the events of World War II, Japanese silk production never improved.
However, it is still important to remember that technology had greatly improved the way that silk was manufactured and though nylon was still used as a substitute, Japan still took its place as the leader in raw silk exports after the war. By 1975, Japan was no longer exporting raw silk materials to the rest of the world.
Today, China is the world's larges silk producer. For instance, in 1996, they produced upwards of 58,000 tons of silk, followed by India with 13,000 tons of silk. Japan only produced 2,500 tons. However, during the nineties, there was an increasingly low demand for silk on a global level, though the production of silk was still fairly strong in India and in the United Kingdom. Silk did have some issues where there were problems with low quality examples tarnishing its image.
At this point in time, more than 125,000 tons of silk are being produced all over the world, and though China is the main producer, it is far from alone. The United States, Thailand, India, Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Brazil also produce silk and the Unites States is the world's largest silk importer.
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