Textiles and clothing along the Silk Roads

With the power to spark dialogue and understanding, the shared heritage of humankind is a vital tool for building trust and respect. A better knowledge of the mutual influences and legacies among people and cultures along the Silk Roads is essential for reinforcing intercultural dialogue and sustainable peace and development in a world marked by mistrust, tension and conflict.
Textiles and clothing are indispensable parts of our lives, with around 1 in every 8 workers employed in the industry globally. Historically, textiles and clothing have also been vectors of mutual exchange and influence between cultures. Despite this, their significant role in connecting us is sometimes overlooked.
This volume of the Thematic Collection of Cultural Exchanges along the Silk Roads takes us around the world, from Java to West Africa, Scandinavia to the Philippines. It charts
a fascinating history, from the ways in which patterns and dyes were elements of cultural imitation, hybridisation and exchange, to how particular motifs and symbols were adopted across cultures and used as means to influence.
Read on to explore the rich history of textiles and clothing, a common thread which connects us all!