Hi fellow fodorites,

My cousin Reenie needs to buy some silk for her sister. We'll be hitting the major cities in China. Could you please recommend the best place to buy silk (I suppose in bolts)?

Thanks!

Monica

The Beijing Silk Store, on the west side of Qian Men Dajie just south of the two towers of the Zhengyang Men (gate). This was closed when I last looked, but that was during the reinvention and pedestrianization (ugh) of Qian Men Dajie, and several round about asserted it would re-open once the works were complete.

Otherwise Rui Fu Xiang just round the corner (which is to say just a little south of the Beijing Silk Store in Dazhalan Jie, a turning to the west.

Plenty of choice, and plenty of Beijingers shopping in both locations, unlike at tourist traps such as Yuanlong, Yaxiu, etc. The first of the two stores is/was the better.

Peter N-H

Thanks Peter!

Monica

I have been to Suzhou and know that Silk in Suzhou is best and most popular. No. 1 Silk Factory is very famous in Suzhou.

I like the Silk King stores in Shanghai. There are about six stores and all of them have a good selection of bolt silk as well as ready-made clothes and scarves.

I usually take clothing that I like or pictures of what I would like to wear and have them custom-make the clothes for me. Cost is comparable or lower than what I'd spend in the store and I get exactly what I want.

For example, an unlined silk jacket cost about US$40 for 2 metres of medium-weight sueded silk plus US$20 for the tailoring (US$60 total).

They can fit you in minutes and it takes a couple of days for them to make. All of my second fittings were perfect so I don't know how long it might take for alterations!

You can also get silk fabric in the major department stores in both Shanghai and Beijing.

In Hong Kong, try Chinese Arts & Crafts, another local chain with several stores in both Kowloon and Hong Kong island.

Thanks for the additional suggestions!

Monica

My cousin said someone recommended the following:


"The Friendship Store in the Silk
Market (a small lane off Xiushuidong Jie) also the Friendship Store has a great selection of silk by the yard."

Would this be another option for a good place to shop for silk?

Monica

I cannot say for certain, but the 'Friendship Store in the Silk Market' may refer to a stall calling itself that that has been cleared away, along with all the other stores, and forced into the new building. There was never very much silk in the silk market when it was actually of some interest in its early days, and there isn't much now.

The Friendship Store does indeed have some silk, but it is little visited these days and still targets tourists. The other stores mentioned are where local people shops, and have much more choice.

Peter N-H

Hi Monica,
I probably wouldn't buy silk at the Silk Market in Beijing. If you did the chances are it would not be very good silk or fall apart. I know the Silk market is the silk market but unless you study your prices you may even end up paying higher than elsewhere. The trick with this market it too start off a very low price (say 5%) of what they are asking. Remember you can always walk away. You will see exactly the same thing somewhere else anyway! It is fun (just don't let them rip you off).
My Mum wanted me to bring her back a silk stole & after looking in various places & cities finally found a beautiful one in Shanghai at a great price.
The Friendship Stores are a bit outdated now and some of their prices are high.

This was in a Conde Nast Article
talking about Hangzhou.

Into silk? If you didn't see enough of it at the Shanghai Museum or if you're a shopper, check out the China Silk Museum (73-1 Yuhuangshan Rd.; 86-571-8703-5223), the world's largest, which covers the history of silk and has a nifty gift shop, or the Hangzhou Silk Shopping Center, China's biggest silk department store, which sells everything from silk umbrellas to silk hand cream and has a first-floor factory where you can see, step by step, how silkworms become duvets