Silk is the strongest natural fiber in the world. Pound for pound, a strand of silk has more tensile

strength than steel. It is very elastic, regaining its original dimensions after being stretched. Silk is also

called 'the king of fibers' because of its rare natural luster. It absorbs moisture and retains 30% humidity

without appearing to be wet.

It has the ability to withstand extremely high temperatures, as it can be heated up to 140 ° C without

decomposing. Its thermal decomposition is greater than 170 ° C.

 Silk garments are very lightweight and warmer than garments made of cotton, linen or artificial silk. I

is easy to iron, because of its resistance to wrinkles.

In the fourth century BC, the western world heard of a strange worm that weaves silk threads, but no

westerner was able to confirm this until 550 AD.

For that period of time, Persia controlled all silk coming from China, and sold it at exorbitant prices.

The Roman, or Byzantine, Emperor Justinian objected to paying these exorbitant sums to the Persians.

Around 550 AD, he tried to find a route to China that does not pass through Persia. His plan was to reach

China through Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), but he failed. He then sent monks to China as

spies.

Despite the harsh conditions and, the monks put their lives on the line and managed to hide silkworm

eggs and mulberry seeds in hollow reeds.

This adventure ended the monopoly of both China and Persia on silk.

 During the next hundred years, many people learned sericulture and the method to extract silk from

cocoons. Muslims also brought silkworms to Spain and Sicily during the Islamic conquests in the ninth

and tenth centuries.

And in the thirteenth century, Italy became the western silk center. The silk-weaving industry started in

France in the sixteenth century, and soon, the French were in competition with the Italians. And silk-

weaving became one of the biggest industries in England after large numbers of skilled Flemish weavers

(the oldest inhabitants of an area currently located between the Netherlands, France and Belgium)

entered the country in the late sixteenth century.

Attached is a video showing the method of collecting and weaving silk threads.

https://youtu.be/qWEQtUYn38Q