The Weaver

The first episode of the three-part series Handmade on The Silk Road, The Weaver, is set in North West China, where the Uyghur community has been making Atlas silk for thousands of years. Mattursun Islam and his family are continuing the tradition, using a combination of handmade techniques and mechanised looms, including a wooden loom which Mattursun built himself aged 17. In a small workshop with a team of up to twelve workers, Mattursun produces the silk in over 200 different designs - and from creating the patterns to colouring, dyeing and weaving the thread, the film follows each stage in absorbing detail. We also get an engaging glimpse into the challenges of running the family business. With rival companies often copying his designs, Mattursan Islam is proud of his reputation, but he and his wife also enjoy a good-natured rivalry over who is really in charge.