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Silk is believed to have first been produced in China as early as the Neolithic period. Sericulture has become an important cottage industry in countries such as Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Thailand. Today, China and India are the two main producers, with more than 60% of the world's annual production.
Production of some products is highly concentrated in a few countries, China, the leading producer of wheat and ramie in 2013, produces 95% of the world's ramie fiber but only 17% of the world's wheat. Products with more evenly distributed production see more frequent changes in the ranking of the top producers.
The production of silk originated in China in the Neolithic period, although it would eventually reach other places of the world (Yangshao culture, 4th millennium BC). Silk production remained confined to China until the Silk Road opened at some point during the latter part of the 1st millennium BC, though China maintained its virtual monopoly over silk production for another thousand years.
Silk is a naturally produced fibre obtained from many species of the silk moth. In 1700 the favoured silk was produced by a moth (Bombyx mori), that spun a cocoon to protect the larvae. The larvae fed on mulberry leaves grown in Italy. Silk fibres from the Bombyx mori silkworm have a triangular cross section with rounded corners, 5–10 μm wide.
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It includes information on the top exporting countries for various product categories and shows the market leaders in different export markets. The individual product categories are based on a bundling of products related in type or production method (Harmonized System).
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Genoese silk artisans also used fine Calabrian and Sicilian silk for the production of velvets. [37] While the Chinese lost their monopoly on silk production, they were able to re-establish themselves as major silk suppliers during the Tang dynasty, and to industrialize their production on a large scale during the Song dynasty. [38]