Silk Things We have things for silk

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Recommended Uses for Silk:   Silk Threads — Silk Fabric Dye — Silk Fabric Paint — Interactive CD ROMs

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Since 1980 under the name Things Japanese.

We are passionate about the versatility and beauty of silk.We have all heard the romatic historical myth of the discovery of silk fiber in the third century BC. Presumably, the Lady Hsi Ling (chief wife of the Yellow Emporer) has been credited with discovering the amazing fiber that could be reeled off of the cocoon, which in turn had been produced by the silk worm.

Centuries later, despite the enormous ecomonoic roll silk played in the shaping of so many historical events around the world, our modern world still covets the illusive silk. We continue to produce, utilize and (more inportantly) appreciate the brilliant performance of the lowly silk warm. Dispite all modern techilogical efforts, the natural processes of the silk worm and his cocoon can not be synthesized.

A More Personal Note

In 1970, when our Backman family was sent to Japan (under the auspices of the US Navy) I began expanding my fiber passion. Through travels through out Asia, I was able to experience the true adaptablity and potential of silk. And to spend time with artisan in Japan that had mastered silk's special intricacies. Fortunately, I was introduced to a Japanese teacher, who was able to 'launch me' into the art of Japanese' Rozashi', a rare silk guaze embroidery. It wasn’t long before I knew that the wonders of silk would lead me to a future business opportunies, once we returned to the states.

Our Products

It has always been our aim to offer silk products of the highest quality. We have sold our silk and silk related products on our web site for the past 5 years and find it a successful way to educate fiber enthusiasts about the many qualities of silk and its unique versatility. In 1987 when I had the chance to introduce to our fiber world, the superior filament TIRE silk thread, I quickly seized upon the opportunity.

Although I couldn't continue my work with Rozashi (due to scarcity of materials),

I expanded my business to distribute the TIRE silk threads and the high quality silk ribbons, manufactured in Japan. Later we able to introduced bias-cut ribbons, developed for our specifications and finally, we were found a dye manufacturer who would originate a self setting silk dye that we have marketed as COLORHUE. By distributing the white silk ribbon and bias-cut ribbon and the COLOHUE dyes, it provided our fiber artists customers unique coloring processes that could easily expand their creativity.

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We urge you to take the time to pursue all of the educational segments we offer on our updated and reconstructed web site at Recommemded Uses, New Developments and Learn More home page links on the home page. We certainly welcome questions and inquires about any of our products and how they may serve you best. Although we are unble to present the huge amount of fiber techniques processes that can utilize our silk and silk related products, contacting us with your needs means we can help you personally..

''The Silk Experience'

Our latest venture into marketing, is networking with a unique group of talented teachers, designers and authors, all versed in the useage of silk. The individuals connected to the ''The Silk Experience' offer a large range of silk manipulation/ techniques and teach at various markets, fiber organizations, and fiber related schools around the country. We find this a successful means of informing fiberest of silk's vertsatilty and enlightening them concerning the many mistaken myths about silk and its usages. Go to The Silk Experience link for our class scehdule for the Houston Festival 2006.

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We hope you will consider us your one-stop resource for silk threads, dyes and ribbon. We want this web site to be a community of artisans, learning together, creating together. We can offer you ''silks things' that can give you unique looks for fashion, wearable art, quilting, home decor, and myriads of embellishment technques.

Maggie and Fred Backman

Products

TIRE Silk Threads

TIRE Metallic Threads

Silk Ribbon

Colorhue Dyes & Lumiere/Neopaque Paints

Instructional Series of Interactive CD ROMs

Bonded Silk Batting

Books about Silk