Silk Embroidery



Natural silk has been a part of Chinese Culture for more than 7,000 years.

When the first Europeans arrived in China they were amazed at the discovery of silk. This incredibly beautiful fabric with a feel of true elegance and a softness that belied a physical description was a complete mystery. Not much has changed over the past eight hundred years except that we now know the secrets that for centuries were closely guarded by the Chinese.

For almost three hundred years the source of this wonderful fabric was a complete puzzle; What was it ? how was it made ? what type of strange fibre was it ?.... all that was known was that it came from a strange and mystical land somewhere to the east.

Silk fabric was first developed in China possibly around 5,000 BC although an exact date is uncertain. Silk fabric was at first only used by the Emperors of China and for the court but, spread gradually throughout the population both geographically and socially. Silk quickly became a popular luxury fabric in the many areas that were accessible to the Chinese merchants because of its rich texture and sheen. Silk was in great demand, and by 200 BC had spread right across areas of southern Asia where-ever the climate was suitable for the "cultivation" of the silk worm.

Despite the attempts of the Chinese Emperors and merchants to keep the secrets of silk within China the knowledge of silk spread and by the first century AD, India, and the Arabian States in the west and Korea and Japan in the east, all had an understanding of the product and how it was produced. Finally, by the tenth century AD, silk had become known within parts of Europe though it was not to become a trade commodity until the Renaissance period.

The Secrets of Silk

Silk is a natural Protein Fibre that is produced by several types of insects such as bees, and ants but, the most common form is derived from the cocoons produced by the silkworm larvae. ( Bombyx mori )

The highest quality silk cloth is produced from the " cultivated " silkworm. The length of the silk fiber is longer from cultivated silkworms than it is from that obtained from the wild cocoons. This is because they are harvested before the silk moth has fully matured and left the cocoon thus allowing the cocoon to be unraveled as a continuous thread.

Silkporcelain Silks

Silk fabric and products produced from silk are distributed to all regions of the world. The industry has experienced a paid growth over the past twenty years with the new open market policies of the Chinese market. Where once silk was an exclusive fabric that was used only for expensive fashions it is now used to produce a wide range of inexpensive clothing. These fashions are all readily available from department stores and boutiques world-wide.

Silkporcelain however supply a range of silk fashions that you will not find at your local boutique or department store.

The highest quality silk garments are not produced by machine and are not produced within the factory environment. The cost to produce high quality silk garments is determined principally by the labour content that goes into producing a hand made product. The type of product that is achieved through machine work is limited to the complexity of the product. Very highly detailed embroidery work is all but impossible to produce by machine. The intricate nature of fine silk embroidery, the extremely fine nature of the highest quality silk thread make the production of high quality silk garments a " Made By Hand" process.

All of the highest quality silk garments that are supplied by Silkporcelain.com are hand-made. This work is typically carried out as a cottage industry.

Dressing Gowns & Robes:

Hand-made Silk Dressing Gowns are produced from only the highest quality of silk. The silk selected for such garments has a luster, texture and sheen that is not available with products produced for the consumer market in general. The silk fabrics are incredibly soft, delicate and because they are produced from only the highest quality silk thread, are exceptionally strong.

No silk evening wear is ever produced with out some form of embroidery. The silk gowns from silkporcelain are hand-embroidered in exceptional detail.

Silk Tops & Vests:

The accent of design and style with the silk tops and vests supplied by silkporcelain is on the quality of silk and upon the high standard of the embroidery. These tops and vests are unlike any that are available outside of China. The elaborate nature of the embroidery marks this range of hand-made product as the highest quality available. Within China itself these products are not readily available.

Silk Tops and Vests of this quality are only produced in limited numbers and are almost impossible to supply on a commercial basis.

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Silk Dressing Gowns / Men's

Silkporcelain also carry a range of quality silk dressing gowns for men.

During the all to frequent wars between the various states that formed China throughout its history the use of silk was a principle part of the "armour" protection of the warriors. Silk was almost always worn under the outer armour layers; the strength of silk was such that a sword thrust that might penetrate the outer armour would be prevented from deep penetration by the silk layers. Silk is still used today in modern military armour.

The silk dressing gowns that silkporcelain supply for men are all of excellent quality, though, they are machine made products. A feature of these silk gowns is that they may be worn either right-side or inside-out.

The two gowns below are actual only one worn inside-out.