China gave the world its most precious cloth. The story of silk — and of the brocade we weave in Banaras — begins here, more than four thousand years ago.
✨ Fun fact: For centuries China guarded the secret of silk so closely that revealing how it was made could be punished by death — which is why the route that finally carried it west became known as the Silk Road.
Silk — the mother craft
The Chinese discovered how to unwind the cocoon of the silkworm into thread thousands of years ago, and for a long time were the only people on earth who could make silk. From this single craft grew an empire of cloth — and, eventually, the Silk Road that carried it to the world.
Cloud brocade and carved silk
China’s brocades are among the most magnificent ever woven. Yunjin — the “cloud brocade” of Nanjing — was woven with silk and gold for the imperial court. Kesi, or “carved silk,” is a fine silk tapestry so precise it can copy a painting thread for thread. These are the close cousins of our own kamkhwab.
Porcelain — the cloth’s equal in clay
China’s other gift to the world is porcelain. The blue-and-white wares of Jingdezhen, painted in cobalt under a clear glaze, were traded across the globe and imitated everywhere from Delft to Japan.
The thread we love
Every gold-woven Banarasi owes a quiet debt to China, where silk began. Explore our Brocade Fabric collection.
Frequently asked questions
Why is China so important to the history of silk?
Silk was first made in China over four thousand years ago, and the trade that carried it westward gave the Silk Road its name.
What is Chinese cloud brocade?
Yunjin, the cloud brocade of Nanjing, was woven with silk and gold for the imperial court, named for its resemblance to coloured clouds.
More from Khinkhwab Diaries: what is silk? · the meaning of Kinkhab · the looms of Banaras.
