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Lyon and the Silk Tradition
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Lyon and the Silk Tradition
Nearly 5,000 years ago the Chinese discovered that the cocoon of an insignificant moth could be gently unraveled in a continuous
thread and woven to produce a light and luxurious fabric. This fabric is silk, still one of the softest and most desirable
of all textiles.
Silk made its way overland from China to Europe by the 12th century, and by the 1600s Lyon had become the center for European
silk production. (The silkworm, Bombyx mori, also came to Europe and is now a domesticated insect with a ravenous appetite
for mulberry leaves, which grow well in southern France and elsewhere.) The industry thrived, producing sophisticated weaves
to supply France's rich and demanding upper classes. Sumptuous designs in dazzling colors were achieved on hand looms; silk
damask, patterned silks and brocades, and figured silk velvets poured out of the workshops of Lyon.
In 1804, Joseph-Marie Jacquard invented the mechanical loom, which enabled patterns to be programed using a punch-card system.
These very large looms were moved from the Old Town into special buildings in the Red Cross area that were designed to accommodate
their size. The silkweavers (canuts), who also moved, were paid an abysmally low price for each pattern, with the middleman
scooping the profits. Social unrest finally erupted in 1831, after a three-year struggle by the canuts to get better pay and
conditions.
By 1870 the industry had recovered and Lyon silk was considered to be among the best fabrics in the world. The creation of
artificial silk and other man-made fibers in the 20th century brought an end to large-scale silk production. Lyon's 30,000
weavers dwindled, and today there are only a handful of workshops where people still weave manually; hand-woven weaves are
in high demand and are used to help restore the interiors of France's historic buildings.
If you're interested, follow the silk trail in Lyon, from the Old Town to the slopes of the Red Cross district, where you
can visit silk workshops and working hand looms. Be sure not to miss the Fabric Museum, keeping in mind that the most a skilled
worker could hope to weave was three to four inches a day.
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