Nanjing Brocade

Nanjing Brocade

Nanjing Brocade is a protected geographical indication product.

Nanjing Brocade is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Nanjing Brocade is a traditional jacquard silk textile craft from Nanjing. It uses exquisite materials, features fine weaving, and boasts elegant and richly colored patterns that are as magnificent as colorful clouds in the sky — hence the name “brocade.” It stands alongside Suzhou’s Song Brocade and Sichuan’s Shu Brocade as one of China’s three most famous brocades.

　　The history of Nanjing Brocade production can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period. By the Ming Dynasty, the craft had reached maturity and refinement, forming a local specialty of patterned silk brocade in Nanjing. During the Qing Dynasty, the “Jiangning Weaving Bureau” was established in Nanjing, leading to a golden age of brocade weaving. Brocades from this period featured a wide variety of designs, solemn patterns, and dazzling colors, representing the pinnacle of Nanjing Brocade craftsmanship. Today, in addition to being exported as high-end fashion fabric and used for ethnic minority clothing and performance costumes, new styles of brocade have been developed — such as table runners, cushions, bedspreads, handbags, vests, ties, and wall hangings as daily-use handicrafts. These are packaged in various boxes according to consumer needs. Nanjing Brocade is a type of jacquard silk textile craft, ranking first among Nanjing’s “treasured arts,” and is acclaimed alongside Sichuan’s Shu Brocade and Suzhou’s Song Brocade as one of the “Three Famous Brocades.” It is known for its sturdy texture, bold and graceful patterns, vibrant colors, and extensive use of gold thread, giving it a uniquely resplendent style. In the past, brocade was reserved solely for imperial use, but today, besides being used for ethnic attire, it is also exported for high-end fashion fabrics. Nanjing Brocade utilizes up to eighteen color combinations, skillfully layering hues to highlight the main design, resulting in a rich and elegant appearance.