Historically, the silk industry of the Renaissance helped build Lyon into the thriving city that it is today. During our visit to the Maison des Canuts (Home of the Silk Workers), we learned about how silk is made and how the industry was first brought to Lyon. We even saw a demonstration of silk fabrication by a museum worker!
This week, I learned about the Lyonnais tradition of silk production. Silk is a very expensive, luxury fabric used for clothing, furniture and more. One of the reasons for the high cost is the lengthy manufacturing process. During the Renaissance period an experienced weaver could take up to three months to make enough material for a single dress!
Everything starts with silk worms. In the process of becoming butterflies, the worms spin a coccoon (also called a chrysalis) around themselves. These coccoons are used to make silk yarn, which in turn are used for silk fabrication with a giant weaving machine. Weavers can turn the yarn into beautiful and decorative fabrics that can be sewed into dresses, scarves, upholstery or anything else you may want!
