History of Silk

Five thousand years ago in China, a 14 year old bride of the Emperor Huang Ti, Lady Xi Ling Shi was drinking tea under a Mulberry tree. A cocoon fell into her tea cup. The silk fiber started to unravel in the hot tea. That is how Confucius described the legend of silk discovery. For the first time, silk joined the ranks of other plant fibers. For the next 3,000 years, Chinese kept the production and usage of silk as a secret until the Silk Road emerged bringing silk fabrics to the West and it was not until 6 AD when two Christian monks smuggled silkworm eggs in hollowed canes out of China. Later the church established a silk industry as an imperial monopoly. Silk started production all over Europe.

Sericulture is the agricultural business of raising silkworms. Silk filament comes from the cocoons built by 'silkworms,' which are not worms at all, but silk moth pupae. The scientific name is Bombyx mori. It is a caterpillar transforms into a moth. A silkworm increases its body weight 10,000 times during its life of 28-30 days. When the silkworm matures it spins a fat, soft, creamy white cocoon around itself in figure eight loops for protection during the sleeping stage. The cocoon is made from one continuous thread of fluid silk. One King size silk comforter requires at least 12,000 cocoons of silk. One silk shirt can use up 1,000 cocoons of silk.

Multiple of cocoons are reeled together in a 'Throwing' process at the same time. The Sericin, a viscous gelatinous protein that forms on the surface of raw-silk fibers, strands the silk together to make into a thread the size of a human hair. A single silk fiber is the strongest among all fibers. It is actually as strong as metals. Yet, silk is very lightweight. Silk contains different amino acids similar to human skin. Silk amino acids and silk proteins are widely used for cosmetics, skin care, hair care and food products.

Silk trade has gone through its own shares of ups and downs as competing fabrics flourish through innovations in the weaving industry. In recent history, silk was once popular in Europe and Japan. But during the Second World War, raw silk supplies were cut off by Japan. Inventions of synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester took over the lack of silk supplies during the interruption. After the World War ended, silk production began to come back. Today, China is the world's leader producing majority of the world's silk.

The Silk Road

The Silk Road in China begins in Xi'an-Chinese capital of Chang'an, then Lanzhou, Jiuquan, Jia Yu Guan, Dun Huang, Turfan, Urumchi. Then it routes along the northern and southern borders of the Taklimakan Desert to the Pamir Mountains. A Central Asian section crosses the Pamirs and the Central Asian region of Samarkand, while the western section runs through Persia to the Mediterranean. In AD 200, this transcontinental route linked the Roman Empire in the west with the imperial court of China. The routes crisscrossed through countries of Nepal, India, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia Greece and Turkey.

Although it is named romantically as 'Silk Road' by a German geographer in late 1800's, these historic routes were actually first globalization in human history as the transport of goods and knowledge of science and cultures flowed between the East and the West. A wide variety of goods was available along the Silk Road. From China, came silk, gunpowder, paper, bamboo, compasses and chrysanthemums. From the West, came grapes, pomegranates, rugs, glass and gold. These events happened from the first millennium B.C.E. to the second millennium C.E. In today's term, it was an information highway.

The Tang Dynasty was the height of the Silk Road's importance. Buddhist manuscripts and artwork poured into China changing the look of the civilization as a whole. Under the Mongols, the Silk Road became an important path for communication between different parts of the empire, as well as a protected trade route. It was at this time that the first Europeans began arriving in Mongol cities. The most famous Westerner, Marco Polo traveled extensively in China and brought back to Italy much new information.

The decline of the Silk Road started with the Mongol Empire crumbling in early twelve century. As Ming Dynasty gained control of China from foreign invaders and Islam revived itself in the West, nationalism instilled road blocks to the silk route as the sea traveling become more popular and less dangerous.

Undoubtedly, the Silk Road made human history. Besides material goods, information, and cultural exchanges, the impacts were profound. Silk brought a trail of history but its mystic nature remains with us from thousands of years ago, and many more to come.

Fiber from Heaven

The discovery of silk was a well-kept secret by the Chinese for thousands of years. Silk was a luxury item used exclusively by the Emperors, and the Royal families.

In 3rd Century B.C., Chinese silk fabrics began to find its way to other parts of Asia and to the West by sea and overland in long journeys better known as the Silk Roads. Since then, silk continued to prosper in Europe, Japan, and above all, in China. French Jacquard revolutionized weaving techniques and produced a tremendous influence to the development of the silk industry in Lyon, and thereafter to other European countries. Today, silk production is a tradition not only in China, but also in France, England, Korea, Japan, India, Russia and Brazil.

Silk is known today as a smooth, shiny, stunning, luxurious, and sensual fabric. However, the biggest mystical secret of silk is in its practical function to provide warmth. Silk comforters have been used by the upper class for thousands of years in Asia. Silk is naturally hypoallergenic, inhospitable to dust mites, wicks moisture and is naturally produced. Comforters made with 100% silk, is the best alternative to down or wool comforters. TheBestBedding.com is bringing this treasured secret to the modern world's path towards nature and spirit. Silk is truly a gift from heaven.

How is our silk comforter made?

The filling of the TheBestBedding.com silk comforter is made of 100% Mulberry silk. The silk filling is layered by hand, one layer at a time. This is done by skilled workers using traditional methods. A silk comforter requires easily over 10,000 cocoons of silk. You will seldom see such high quality of silk comforters on the market. Each silk comforter is then inspected individually before packing.