Thailand is famous for its smooth silk.  Thai silk, one of the finest and sought-out fabrics in the world, is a product with unique manufacturing processes and exceptional colors and patterns.

Silk and the art of weaving were believed to have originated in ancient India and China at around 2640 B.C.  Chinese merchants spread the practice and garment to Asia through trade.  Some archaeologists have discovered the first threads of Thai silk to be over 3000 years old.

Thai silk begins when a small silkworm (more related to caterpillars than worms) emerges from the eggs of a silk moth.  The silk itself is produced from the salivary gland of these animals, who feed on white mulberry leaves.  They spin their cocoons when they change from a larva into a pupa.  The cocoon is made of one long thread, measuring about 500-1500 meters in length.  The Khorat Plateau in Northeastern Thailand is considered the center of the silk industry in Thailand where weavers raise silkworms for the sole purpose of making Thai silk.

Raw silk at first is bumpy and uneven and comes in a variety of colors ranging from light gold to light green.  Weavers extract the cocoon from the mulberry leaf and boil it so the silk thread separates, allowing the weavers to easily extract the fiber.  The weavers then wash the raw silk threads, bleach it and then dye it because the natural yellow coloring of Thai silk yarn has to be removed.  For the bleaching process, the silk threads are submerged in large tubs of hydrogen peroxide.  The dried and dyed silk is then ready to be spun, either by hand or by machine.

Hand woven silk combines the grace, skill and precision of the weaver along with its unique fabric and design, making each hand-made silk garment exclusive.  The weaving process is a long and tedious task.   Machine woven silk, however is much faster and is produced in the masses, resulting in an end-product that is still good in terms of quality but lacks the character and originality of the hand woven ones.

Silk can be tailored into just about anything.  Shirts, neckties, dresses, pillows and blankets are just some of the items that can be made entirely out of Thai silk.

Follow in the footsteps of one of Asia’s most famed silk merchants and discover more about silk in Thailand with our The Silk Route of Jim Thompson – Bangkok day trip tour.  Begin the tour with a visit to Jim Thompson House, located along a canal in the city.  You will also stop by at a Cham Muslim village whose artisans used to weave for Jim Thompson.  They will also teach you about their history and traditions.  Thailand is also the perfect destination for a family vacation.  Our My Family in Thailand tour lets you and your loved ones experience the beauties of the country while also providing entertaining experiences for the kids.  Enlighten yourself with the country’s culture as we take you to the must-sees and rarely visited sites.  End the tour as you lie down on the beach and watch your children play in the ocean.  You can also see our recommended Thailand tours page for other memorable trips into The Land of Smiles.