What is Silk?
Silk, one of the oldest fibres known to man, originated in China. Though first reserved for Chinese royalty, silk spread gradually through the Chinese culture both geographically and socially. Demand for this exotic fabric eventually created the lucrative trade route now known as the Silk Road. India is the second largest producer of silk in the world after China. About 97% of the raw silk comes from five Indian states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal The best-known silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. Silk is produced by several other insects, but generally only the silk of moth caterpillars has been used for textile manufacturing. Silk has a long history in India. It is known as "Paat" in Eastern India, “Pattu” in southern parts of India and “Resham” in North India.