Ask any Uzbek where you can buy pure silk products. They definitely advise you to go to Margilon. For a long time, this region has been famous as the largest center for silk production. The oldest silk weaving factory "Yodgorlik" operates in the city. The plant was opened in 1972. Today, this is the only factory in Uzbekistan, where the entire cycle of production of silk products is carried out by hand using traditional technologies of glove cultivation.
Ancient pottery and cocooning schools are operating in Margilon. More than 1000 families are engaged in crafts in Margilon. More than 500 craftsmen from the city of Margilon are members of the National Union of Craftsmen.
International silk festival "Atlas Bayram" is held every year in Margilon. In 2017, by the decision of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the technology of preparing Uzbek traditional atlases and directories was included in the UNESCO register of best practices for preservation of intangible cultural heritage. The unique practice was named "Margylan craft development center, protection of atlas and adras, creation of traditional technologies".
On one of the days of the Atlas Bayram festival, Margilon Handicraft Development Center was presented with this practice certificate by UNESCO, the center was opened in 2007 under the auspices of UNESCO. The tasks of the center include restoration and preservation of the technology of production of satin and adras fabrics, traditional for Margilan.
The center conducts training, holds exhibitions and fairs, and prepares and publishes materials dedicated to the preservation of traditional weaving.
At the beginning of 2020, another handicraft center was built in Margilon on the basis of public and private partnership at the initiative of master Ibrahimjon Sultanov.
600 craftsmen work in the center. About 200 types of satin and adras, carpets, sewing and other products are produced here. At the underground level of the two-story center, there are weaving workshops where satin, adras, bekasam, silk and velvet fabrics are produced. On the first floor there is an exhibition of finished products, a podium and an atelier. It demonstrates the process of sewing fabrics and applying colors. On the second floor there is a carpet workshop. Here, unique rugs are sewn from real silk. New Margylan center is famous for high quality silk, natural dyes are used for silk dyeing. The center's unique products are already being exported to Turkey, USA, Italy, France, Russia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.