At the time of the Hermes scarf launch, the working horse had declined in popularity. The Times reported that the first motor trolley-bus had left Wandsworth for Battersea, replacing the tram. The simple, first design was a superb positioning statement for Hermes. By association, the Hermes tradition of saddle and harness making, its passion for horses, the luxury of royalty, its Parisian connection, its concern for the environment, and its place in history, all come to the fore. The Hermes scarf designs continue to speak for themselves.
China still produces the most raw silk fibre, followed by Brazil, India, Japan, Korea and Thailand.
Hermes works closely with silk worm breeders mainly based in China and Brazil. The main silk producing larvae come from the family of the Bombycidae - foremost the common silk moth Bombyx mori . In Europe, the silk from moths producing one generation of caterpillars a year is considered the best quality. Silk producing caterpillars prefer to feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree. When the caterpillar enters its chrysalis stage, it often nests in oak, broom, or other twigs.