Bulk Silk Embroidery from China

MOQ is often 1–5 pieces for fully custom designs and 10–20 for stock panels, because each piece is hand-stitched — fine Su Xiu work commonly takes 100+ hours of master embroiderer time for a single double-sided cat or fish panel. The biggest price drivers are stitch density, the fineness of thread splitting (true Su Xiu splits one mulberry silk thread into 1/16, 1/32, or even 1/48 filaments), and whether the piece is single-sided or double-sided (双面绣). Labor cannot be scaled like machine embroidery, so unit price falls only modestly with volume — most of the cost sits in the stitching, not the materials.

First, turn the panel over: in genuine Su Xiu the back should be almost as clean as the front, with no knots, loose thread tails, or tangled strands — knots are considered a sign of inferior work. Next, compare color gradations against the approved sample; fine pieces use 20–60 subtly hand-dyed silk thread shades to render realistic shading, so check that transitions are smooth rather than banded. Finally, check the silk ground for puckering, uneven tension, yellowing, mildew spots, or any tiny holes from needle damage on the base fabric.

Authentic work uses 100% mulberry silk (桑蚕丝) threads that are hand-split into fine filaments, and a silk base cloth such as habotai, satin, or sheer silk organza, with the ground fabric weight matched to the piece's size and use. Cheaper substitutes — rayon or polyester thread on cotton — will not match the luster, dye depth, or stitch fineness of real silk, and they behave differently when steamed or blocked. For framed art, request the heavier satin ground; for scarf or qipao panels, ask for lighter habotai or organza so the piece drapes rather than buckles.

Yes, but the artwork must be reinterpreted by a Su Xiu pattern master (画稿) — fine photographic detail, very small text, and large flat color fields do not translate well to needlework. Expect a one-time pattern-setup and thread-dyeing fee, plus 2–4 extra weeks for custom color matching because each new shade requires hand-dyeing silk skeins to the master's spec. For apparel OEM (qipao insets, jacket panels, scarves), confirm seam allowances, ground fabric stability, and whether the embroidery sits within a single pattern piece, since Su Xiu panels are usually embroidered flat on a frame before being cut into the garment.

Suzhou embroidery (苏绣) is officially recognized on China's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and pieces produced in the Suzhou region may carry a Geographical Indication (地理标志) mark issued by Chinese authorities — request the GI certificate number and the producing workshop's name. Look for the embroiderer's signature or seal stitched or written on the back, as Su Xiu is traditionally a named-artisan craft, and a documented lineage (师承) is itself a provenance signal. Be cautious: there is no single global 'authentic Su Xiu' standard, so GI documentation, workshop audit, and reference samples are the practical checks.

Silk is highly sensitive to moisture, mildew, moths, and UV — every piece should be wrapped in acid-free tissue, sealed in a moisture-barrier bag with silica gel, and stored away from camphor or wooden materials that can off-gas. Framed panels must ship flat in rigid, corner-protected cartons; rolling is not acceptable, as it cracks dyed silk threads, flattens pile stitches, and distorts the embroidery face. For sea freight, request desiccant in every carton and avoid metal staples near the work, and instruct the carrier to keep the cartons out of direct sunlight to prevent yellowing of the silk ground.

None of the 2 China Silk Embroidery records on file carries one, which is why the lead-time column reads Unconfirmed. Ask each candidate for a dated ex-works schedule and the transit time to your port as separate figures.

Ex-works, FOB, and CIF prices for one Silk Embroidery order are three different numbers, so name the term and the destination port in the request or the quotes will not compare. Settle who books freight, who clears customs at each end, and the packing specification — handicraft cartons are usually volume-rated.