Top 10 Largest Silk Producing Countries in World – [ Production Ranking ]

Production of various types of silk depends upon the amount of availability of mulberry tree leaves, which is limited between 15°to 45° latitudes in both hemispheres. Therefore, only China, Korea, Japan, India, Iran, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Brazil are the largest Silk Producing Countries in the world.

While on the other hand silk fabrics (natural) is mostly used in wealthy countries. Therefore industry is located in Japan, China, India, France, Italy, U.S.A., Germany, Spain, Korea, and Pakistan.

Silk Producing Countries in World – Rank by Production

1. China Silk Production

China is the largest raw silk and silk fabrics producer in the world. The woven on hand looms in China, where an abundant supply of cheap labor is available. The Si-Kiang and the Lower Yangtze, Kiang valleys are traditional sericulture areas and homeland of silk manufacturing in China. This is why silk prices in China are relatively low compared to the international market.

According to the statistical survey of 2012, China produced 126000 Million tons. China produces 60% of the world. It exports raw silk and fabrics to U.S.A., U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other countries. Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Canton are the main silk manufacturing cities in China.

2. Japan

Japan is an important raw silk and artificial silk producer in the world. It is too advanced in silk cloth and fabrics manufacturing, which is largely synthetic fibers.

Natural silk cloth is mostly located in Central Honshu, particularly around Okaya and Nagoya. While synthetic silk mills are mostly located on the west coast and Fukui, Kanazawa and Niigata. Kyoto, Gumma, and Tochigi are manufacturing centers.

According to the statistical survey of 2012, Japan produced 30 Million tons. It was very high production after China.

3. France

Silk manufacturing developed in France in the 19th century in valleys of Rhone and Lyons city. France uses 70% silk for interior products, which use in daily routine.

Today Lyons is an important silk manufacturing center in the west. France imports raw silk from China, Japan, Korea, Bulgaria, and Greece.

4. India

India ranking fourth among the leading sericulture countries has not only a time-honored silk tradition but a rich silk fauna. The process of making has been practiced in India since ancient times. India is an important silk producing country. India is exporting different types of silk to various countries.

The Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, and Orissa are other states prominent in silk manufacturing.

The first mill was established by “East India Company” at Howrah in 1832 at present Karnataka is the premier producing state 52%.

5. Italy

Italy is a pioneer country in sericulture and silk textile manufacturing in Europe. In the 16th century, sericulture started in the Po river valley and Alpine piedmont region, which was home for mulberry tree cultivation. In this region, Milan city became the silk textile center.

Today Milan is the center of silk cloth and fabrics manufacturing. Venice, Geneva, Komo, and Burgamo are some silk textile manufacturing centers.

6. USA – United States of America

It has a large silk industry that commands the world synthetic silk. U.S. market demands high standard luxury apparel. Due to the large market and high demand, U.S.A. imports silk cloth and fabrics from China, Japan, France, and Italy.

Preston New Jersey was the first silk textile manufacturing center in the US. While now Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, and Easton cities have the sizable share.

7. Russian Federation

Artificial manufacturing started in Russia before “Revolution of 1918”. Russian Federation and common-wealth nations produce bulk amounts of raw silk /artificial, availability of fossil fuels, technological development, and the large market has manufactured.

In Russian Federation largest silk textile, manufacturing center is Moscow-Tula region. Besides Ukraine and all Central Asian states manufacture large amounts.

8. Pakistan

Silk manufacturing is an old household industry in Pakistan but, Modern silk textile mill was erected in 1948 at Karachi. Pakistan uses artificial silk for textile manufacturing. Faisalabad, Karachi, Gujranwala, Sheikhpura, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Peshawar, Swat are main silk textile manufacturing centers in Pakistan.

China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea are big Asian countries, which exports more than 50% of silk textile and fabrics to other countries. While Italy, France, United Kingdom, Russian Federation, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, U.S.A. also export me amounts of silk textile to other countries.