3. Uses of Artificial Silk

The uses of artificial silk are many and are not entirely confined to combinations with other textiles. Of recent years the knitting trade has adopted it extensively, particularly in hosiery, sweater and underwear manufacture. In weaving, it has proven very successful in combination with silk or cotton. Large quantities are used in ribbon, electric cord covering, yarns, threads, etc. It is generally felt that the new fibre does not directly compete with or replace natural silk, but rather occupies its own place in the trade on the same basis as the other textiles.

Growth of the Industry

It has only been during the last fifteen years that artificial silk has been a very important factor commercially, although for a few years before that time, small quantities were produced in Europe. Since about 1910 its use has been steadily growing in this country, the importations from Europe increasing in 1912 from about one and one-half million pounds to nearly three million pounds in 1914. Since 1910 domestic production has also become a factor in the market and numerous factories have been established, the figures for 1923 showing about 33,000,000 pounds output. It is estimated that in 1922 the combined importations and domestic production amounted to around 20,000,000 pounds, about 50% of the total consumption of natural silk for that year.

U. S. Production

The following figures show the production of artificial silk in the United States in 1913 and between 1920 and 1923:

19131,566,000pounds
19208,000,000”
192115,000,000”
192224,000,000”
192333,000,000”

IMPORTS OF RAW SILK
Into the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Calendar Year 1914-1923
Courtesy of The Silk Association of America