The fabric that was invented in Ancient China is silk. According to legend, a Chinese Empress named Lei Zu discovered silk when a silkworm cocoon accidentally fell into her hot tea. Silk soon became a very valuable product in China and was traded to other countries along the Silk Road. The process of making silk involved carefully unwinding the cocoon and weaving the fine threads into fabric. The Chinese kept the secret of silk production for hundreds of years, and anyone caught trying to smuggle silkworms or silk-making equipment out of China was punished by death. Eventually, silk production spread to other countries, but China remained the largest producer for centuries. Today, silk is still considered a luxury fabric and is used for clothing, upholstery, and other high-end products.