Uzès and its scrubland have always been a mecca for the textile industry. From the manufacture of stockings in the Middle Ages until the peak of silkworm breeding around 1830, the territory is a reference in this field. Discover silk through textile threads and the region's manufacturing secrets.
Sericulture in Uzès
Sericulture is the name given to all operations linked to the silk industry. This includes growing the mulberry tree, rearing the silkworm to form the cocoon, reeling the cocoon and spinning the silk. Silkworm breeding is carried out in silkworm farms.
At the origins of sericulture, the Chinese Empire had the secret and the monopoly on the manufacture of silk, which reached Europe via the Silk Road. The beginning of silk manufacturing in France was around the 18th century.
Planted in abundance in France and especially in Languedoc, mulberry trees are multiplying in Uzège. The plantations mostly belong to wealthy owners, who entrust the work to farmers. Harvesting mulberry leaves was a very financially attractive activity for farmers at the time. A testimony of this period can be found at the Georges Borias Museum with the painting by José Belon “Les Magnanarelles” (1886). Also located in this museum is a machine for knitting silk stockings.
Silk spinning mills in Uzès and Lussan
The second stage of textile production is spinning. This involves unwinding the cocoon in order to extract the silk thread. To do this, the cocoons must be immersed in a bath of boiling water in order to release the threads which will then be attached to the spinning frame.
In the 16th century, faced with a high demand for silk thread and a low production of cocoons, some farmers sold the latter to spinning mills in order to earn money.
In the middle of the 19th century, Uzès was a reference in the silk industry. The town had 6 silk mills and Lussan had 3. In Uzès, these were located along the river. In fact, they needed water current to activate the mechanisms and function.
The workforce in these spinning mills was exclusively female. This is partly explained by their low labor cost and their delicacy. These were, in the majority of cases, peasant women from the surrounding areas.
These little hands worked from morning to evening in boiling water. Their job was to collect the threads and bring them together to wrap them around the asples. The latter are reels used to pull the silk from these cocoons. The arduousness of these professions was overwhelming... Indeed, women had to be meticulous and disciplined. They were on their feet all day long and were not allowed to speak except for the possibility of singing. The smell that emanated from these spinning mills, due to the decomposition of the crystalline, was also hard to bear.
The spinning mills also employed men to carry out the physical work, notably feeding the boilers. Sometimes children were also present to take care of bringing the cocoons to the numerous spinners.
Lhe mills of the Eure Valley
The purpose of the winding stage is to twist the thread on itself. The aim of this step is to increase the resistance and change its appearance.
The visit therefore continued in the Eure valley. This place, witness to this past linked to textiles, has numerous remains of cloth mills and textile and dye plants.
In fact, the Eure Valley had up to 28 mills at the time. Among them, the emblematic Roussel spinning mill. This mill was previously dedicated to spinning mills. It subsequently became a liquorice extract factory, which is also an emblem of the destination!
The emblematic weavings of Uzès
The last stage of silk manufacturing is that of weaving, which consists of developing the fabrics.
Uzès made his fortune in the silk industry in particular, thanks to the design of silk stockings. The high quality cocoons were of first choice and were therefore intended for large production centers. The second choice cocoons were intended for the production of socks, stockings, etc. Which were nevertheless essential for the men and women of the time.
Uzès was also renowned for its production of woolen cloths.
These two flagship productions made the city a reference in the world of textiles at that time. Before the Catholic/Protestant war, the town of Uzès had 75% of its trades linked to textiles.
The decline of the textile industry
In the 19th century, there was a return to the advent of pairs of stockings, which became more profitable. However, the jobs related to the design of these products were poorly paid.
Silkworm disease and competition with the opening of the Suez Canal led to a decline in silk production. This has clearly declined in Uzès and more generally in France. Importing silkworms had become significantly cheaper from China. Subsequently, this was also reduced due to the creation of artificial fiber like nylon.
Following these events, the Uzès spinning mills were forced to cease their activity. This particularly had a hard impact on farmers who raised silkworms. The manufacture of these stockings ended after 1860.
The silk industry in Uzès therefore gradually disappeared, following the cessation of case manufacturing.
Textile production has therefore been an essential activity of the destination. This has had a decisive impact on both the cultural and architectural heritage of the region. The town of Uzès plunges back into this past, celebrating wool and silk day. This event aims to honor artisans from various regions. Numerous events take place on this occasion: exhibitions of productions made with passion and simplicity, sales of woven clothing, items in dyed or painted silk, etc.
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