Let the World Know Chinese Silk
2008-08-14

       Former US president George Bush gives the thumbs during a shopping trip to the Silk Market in Beijing on August 11, 2008. The market, a popular shopping place for locals and visitors, has been visited by 11 first ladies and four presidents since the Olympic Games began. [China Daily]

        1. History 
        Actually, silk has a long long history in China. It roots decades back to 27th century B.C. China is the earliest country raising silkworms and weaving silk. It is said the silkworm was first raised by Lei Zu, wife of the Yellow Emperor. To advance silk trade, Chinese create two silk roads. Chinese silk, along with many other Chinese inventions, were passed to Europe. Romans, especially women, were crazy for Chinese silk. 
       However, silk was an unknown thing for the West for long. The Natural History by Pliny in 70 BC reads, “silk was obtained by removing down from the leaves with the help of water…" – a very clear evidence of ignorance about silk.
       But now in the 21st century, Silk is one of the world’s most enduring symbols of sensual elegance and beauty. Silk can be considered as a remarkable invention of mankind to such an extend that most of the ladies could not conceive a world without it. 
      

         2. Characteristics 
          Silk is a kind of fabric elaborately made of the natural protein fibrin of pods. The characteristics of silk are about these:       
       -It is versatile and very comfortable.                                                
       -It absorbs moisture.                                          
       -It is cool to wear in the summer yet warm to wear in winter.
       -It can be easily dyed.
       -It retains its shape and is relatively smooth.
       -It has a poor resistance to sunlight exposure.
       -It is the strongest natural fiber and is lustrous. 

      3. Products
       In the market, there are multiple kinds of silk products. Silk is used to make blouses, dresses, scarves, pants and ties. It can also be made into curtains, draperies, cushion covers, sofa covers and some handcrafts.
    . Products made of silk have bright luster and soft touch; silk clothes are very comfortable and soft, and has the function of adjusting body heat and moisture, and preventing ultraviolet radiation; silk can also be used to produce home commodities like curtains and carpets, and it is favored by the consumers for the functions of absorbing sound and dirt, heat preservation, and fire-proof. Foreign customers also call silk "the headspring of beauty", for products made of it are rather flowery.
       The latest news from abroad that: Recently, the United States, Denmark and other countries appear a phenomenon that using silk products to replace plastic food packaging. The silk fruit bag is made of translucent thin silk, the surface was embroidered with antique patterns. It is both a food packaging bag and a fashion-art handbag.
       British silk industry has predicted that the future of silk fabrics, in addition to the human body clothing and daily necessities, there will be 40% of the silk fabrics have become the darling of packaging. It is estimated that, once the World Health Organization ban Plastic packaging in several large industries such as food, silk products may become a good packaging material.

       4. The market
        World silk production has approximately doubled during the last 30 years in spite of man-made fibers replacing silk for some uses. China and Japan during this period have been the two main producers, together manufacturing more than 50% of the world production each year. During the late 1970's China, the country that first developed sericulture thousands years ago dramatically increased its silk production and has again become the world's leading producer of silk.
        Therefore, China is the world's largest silk States, should actively explore measures to intensify the deep processing of silk products, and create good conditions better for Chinese silk to the international market.