Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons

Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons

Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons are a protected geographical indication product.

　　“Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons,” a specialty of Yangcheng County in Shanxi Province, are a nationally recognized geographical indication product. Renowned for their long history, high yield, and superior quality, Yangcheng silkworm cocoons are known for their excellent color, high percentage of usable cocoons, high reelability, high silk extraction rate, low number of double cocoons, yellow-spotted cocoons, purple-stained cocoons, and dead cocoon shells. The plum blossom brand SE mulberry silk produced from “Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons” is soft in texture, glossy, and pure white, and the products are exported to over 20 countries including Japan, the former Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and India. Yangcheng is one of the top three premium silkworm cocoon production bases in China.

　　　Yangcheng County in Shanxi Province has a long history, and its specialty “Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons” is renowned for its historical significance. [Image 1: Finished Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons]

　　…for its long history, high yield, and superior quality. “Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons” are known for their excellent color, high percentage of usable cocoons, high reelability, high silk extraction rate, low number of double cocoons, yellow-spotted cocoons, purple-stained cocoons, and dead cocoon shells. The plum blossom brand SE mulberry silk produced from them is soft in texture, glossy, and pure white. It won the National Gold Award consecutively in 1979, 1983, and 1989. As a result, the Yangcheng Silk Reeling Factory became the only enterprise in China’s silk reeling industry to receive this honor and also the first to export white silk to the United States. The plum blossom brand SE white raw silk became an inspection-exempt flagship product exported to over 20 countries including Japan, the former Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and India. By the early 21st century, its annual output had exceeded 3 million kilograms, ranking first in North China and making Yangcheng one of the top three premium silkworm cocoon production bases in China. In 2006, after evaluation by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China, it was decided to implement national geographical indication product protection for “Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons.”

　　Quality Characteristics

　　　　According to comparative analysis conducted by the Sericultural Product Quality Supervision and Testing Center of the Ministry of Agriculture between Yangcheng silkworm cocoons and similar products nationwide, it was confirmed that compared to ordinary silkworm cocoons, “Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons” possess the quality characteristics of “one good, three highs, and four lows.” “One good” refers to their excellent color, which offers a unique sensory quality. Yangcheng silkworm cocoons are white in color, snow-white in appearance, oval-shaped with a slightly tapered waist, and uniform in size. The white raw silk produced from them is also fresh, bright, and white, with a raw silk cleanliness of ≥94.00, making it highly popular in the market. “Three highs” refer to the high percentage of usable cocoons (up to 98%), high reelability (greater than 80%, far exceeding similar products), and high silk extraction rate. “Four lows” refer to the low numbers of double cocoons, yellow-spotted cocoons, purple-stained cocoons, and dead cocoon shells.

　　The protected geographical indication area of Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons is based on the scope proposed in the Shanxi Province Yangcheng County People’s Government Document No. 25 [2006], “Request to Include ‘Yangcheng Silkworm Cocoons’ in the National Geographical Indication Product Protection.” This includes the following 18 current administrative regions in Yangcheng County, Shanxi Province: Fengcheng Town, Runcheng Town, Beiliu Town, Dongcheng Subdistrict Office, Tingdian Town, Sitou Township, Qinchang Town, Xihe Township, Yanli Township, Gulong Township, Ciyiing Town, Dongfeng Township, Henghe Town, Jialing Township, Hebei Town, Baishang Township, Manghe Town, and Dongye Town.