Rinsing silk wadding originated in Yuhang district, Hangzhou city. People living there started to engage in growing mulberry and raising silkworm since the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-256 BC). Yuhang rinsing silk wadding won the special award at the first China Hangzhou West Lake Expo in 1929. 

Rinsing silk wadding gets the name for most of its processing procedures being conducted in clean water. From selecting silkworm cocoon to airing, the process contains six steps requiring high skills from crafty people. 

Yuhang rinsing silk wadding is famous for its white color, soft texture, and high tenacity. In ancient times, it was presented to the royal family as a tribute. The silk wadding, a byproduct of sericulture industry, is the natural material for making thermal products and it is also beneficial to people’s health. 

The manufacturing craftsmanship of rinsing silk wadding was included in the “catalogue of national representative of intangible heritage culture items” in 2008 and as a sub-item of “China sericulture and silk weaving”, in the Masterpieces of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009.