Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VII. Manufacturing Industries. Introd. by [G. Sundbärg] K. Åmark - 2. Textile and Clothing Industry. By G. Sellergren
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the silk industry.
377
Hamburg, obtained leave to set up a silk manufactory in Gothenburg or
Landskrona, where plush, velvet, and silk ribbons also might be manufactured. The
sale was bad in consequence of the import of such goods; on account of which
all introduction into the country of such articles was forbidden in 1683, and a
special "silk-house" was established under government control, all silk stuffs
having to be furnished with its stamp and seal. The silk was brought from Persia
and other places in Asia, and also from South Europe. After the long wars of
Charles XII, the silk trade led a languishing existence, but recovered again
under the eighteenth century’s zealous system of protection and bonuses.
In the middle of the last-named century, many attempts were made to
introduce the cultivation of the silkworm into Sweden. In 1750, there were
something like 100 000 white mulberry trees to be seen in Lund; native silk was
actually produced in spite of the northern latitude, and the State supported the
project with bonuses and grants, in the hope that it might call into being a
new home industry. In 1830, a "Society for promoting the rearing of native
silk worms" was established, under the patronage of the then Crown Princess
Josephine, and with illustrious men of science, such as Berzelius, Sven Nilsson,
and many others, as members. The production of silk was, however, never
very large, possibly 10 or 12 kg per annum; and more particularly after
the yearly Government subvention of 4 000 kronor was withdrawn in 1876, it
may safely be said that the undertaking lost all significance as far as Swedish
industry was concerned. The attempts made by this Society seem, however, to
demonstrate that the so-called oak silk-worm (Bombyx Yama-Mai), a Japanese
species, can thrive exceedingly well in Sweden. The Society ceased its operations
in 1898, after nearly 70 years’ work without practical results. The last year’s
yield (about 2 kg) was obtained at the Society’s institution at Alnarp in Skåne.
Although, in 1845, there were 18 silk manufactories at work, at present
Sweden has only one, viz., K. A. Almgren’s, Stockholm. This factory
(established 1834) certainly produces excellent simple silk stuffs (taffety, gros, croisé,
rep, satinet, atlas, and a certain amount of damask) for wearing apparel,
kerchiefs, ribbons, and neckties. Notwithstanding the high duty on imported
silk goods (6 kronor per kilogram, while the raw silk is admitted duty free),
this industry continues to decline. Silk goods are fashionable articles, and, as
such, often subject to fluctuation, and they are therefore hardly likely to be
manufactured at a profit in so small a country as Sweden. The silks of
home manufacture probably cost 50 % more than the French, and the former
are inferior to the latter with regard to colour, though possibly somewhat superior
in durability.
Especially interesting are the attempts that have been made in Sweden to
produce the so-called artificial silk, or collodium thread. This method consists
in pressing fine threads out of a gelatinized solution of cellulose (cotton, straw,
or chemical wood-pulp) through extremely fine holes in glass tubes; this
thread is in quality very much like natural silk. The inventions in this branch
of trade have not, as yet, given rise to any industry, but may be said still to
be in the experimental stage. The fabrics, which have hitherto been
manufactured of this material have consisted of natural silk in warp and cellulose
silk in woof, the latter, as regards durability, however, being considerably
inferior to the former. Such silk has also been manufactured in Sweden of
sulphite, presumably for the first time in any country. This silk, however,
becomes yellowish and is difficult to bleach.
Sweden’s imports of pure and cotton-silk fabrics has, in yearly averages for
the five-year periods 1871—1910 and for the year 1911, been estimated at
respectively 2-78, 2-90, 3-44, 4-73, 3’16, 4’66, 4’80, 6’76, and 7*59 million kronor. Of
the sum for 1912, 3’76 millions were for pure silk and 2’89 millions for cottonsilk.
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