NANKIN BUTTONS

A term applied to waste silk containing portions matted together, in Nankin, China. The silk itself is white and bright, but irregular in length, and the hard buttons cannot be split into fibre and handled as the spinner desires.

There are several kinds of waste silk as follows: - Watt silk. Floss or Frissons, Rigotti, Wadding, Neri, Galettame, Basinetto, Cocons, Perves, Piques, Tarmate, Rugginose, Strussa, Fresonnets (see each term). Also other varieties are given under the terms: - China, Curlies, China wastes, Indian waste, Kunba, Nankin Buttons, Pun-jum waste, Sychuen waste, Shanghai waste, and Steam waste.