Silkworm Cocoon and Silk Trade

Timeline

1. 1271–1310Dadu and Hangzhou · ChinaThe Yuan dynasty established weaving and dyeing bureaus in Dadu, Hangzhou, and elsewhere, centrally purchasing silkworm cocoons, weaving imperial silks, and exporting raw silk to the north and Western Regions via the postal relay system.
2. 1311–1320Eurasian trade-route hub · Central AsiaIn this period, Chinese raw silk was transshipped via Central Asia to Tabriz, then distributed onward to Venice and Genoa; cocoon trade profits drove competition among multilingual merchant guilds and relay-station tariffs.
3. 1312–1350Venice and Florence · ItalyItalian city-states processed Eastern silk into high-end garments and church decorations; cocoon imports coexisted with local imitations, spurring textile-technique competition on the eve of the Renaissance.