Silk cloth was first made in China about 5000 years ago. However, silk thread existed in China long before someone decided to make cloth from it.
The silk used for weaving cloth comes from the cocoons of the bombycidae type of moth. The moth lays eggs which hatch into larvae (caterpillars) which become pupae. The pupa wraps itself in a cocoon that it makes from the silk thread it extrudes from glands in its mouth.
Pupae had been making silk thread long before humans discovered what their cocoons were made of. So it is quite possible it was hundreds of millions of years ago that the very first insects invented silk in China.
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The Chinese introduced silk to the Arabs, who passed it on to Europeans.
Europe wanted Chinese silk, tea, and spices such as: cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Silk is the material produced by the silk worm to make its cocoon. The Chinese were the first to produce silk. The knowledge of doing it was kept as a big secret because silk was very expensive and the people who sold it got very rich.
Silk did make life eaiser. Silk made life silk making many accomplished inventions such as paper. Silk also makes clothing. Also, an ancient route in China was named after silk. It was named The Silk Road. That is how silk made life easier.
11 - 12 months