TEHRAN – The revival of sericulture and silk spinning could lead to the global trade of silk fabrics produced in Iran, an expert said on Tuesday. 

A vital step toward enhancing the export of silk fabrics in the country can be taken by bringing sericulture back into the spotlight as a precious art and industry with advanced global facilities, Zhila Moshiri stated. 

By generating added value, the country will expand economically, and its agriculture and industrial societies will prosper and improve, she added.

Iran has long been home to silk makers, mainly in the regions of Gilan and Khorasan. For more than three millennia, silk thread produced in Iran has been used to make clothing fabric and for weaving Persian rugs.

In 2021, traditional skills of silk spinning and keeping silk cocoons were collectively inscribed on the national heritage list.

Last year, sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving gained UNESCO status jointly for Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

In sericulture and the traditional production of silk for weaving, farmers care for the silkworms through their entire lifecycle, growing the mulberry trees that provide leaves upon which the worms feed and produce silkworm eggs.

As mentioned by the UN cultural body, the fibers are reeled from the cocoons, spun into silk threads, cleaned, and dyed. The threads are then used to create various types of craft products, including fabrics, carpets, rugs, and curtains.

Silk products are highly valued by all social and cultural classes, and people use them for special occasions such as weddings, funerals, and family gatherings. Deeply rooted in the traditions of the Great Silk Road, the practice is an expression of cultural identity and centuries-old traditions. It is also viewed as a symbol of social cohesion, as the silk trade contributed to the exchange of culture and science within and across the countries concerned.

The Silk Road was a well-connected network of routes that, according to ancient maps, began in China and passed through central Asia before ending in Syria. It served as an important trade route connecting the Mediterranean Sea and China.

ABU/AM