The Silk Ribbon Manufacturers and the Putting-Out System — conclusion

Conclusion

The silk ribbon industry was the leading industry of Basel from the late seventeenth century to the late nineteenth. It was organised by merchant-manufacturers who controlled the chain of production from the purchase of raw silk to the sale of finished ribbons, and who put out the weaving to thousands of rural households in the villages of the Basel countryside. The system gave the merchants flexibility and low labour costs while giving the weavers an income that supplemented their farming, at the price of economic dependence and exposure to the fluctuations of fashion and trade.

The industry required large amounts of working capital, financed by the merchants' own resources and by bills of exchange. It also trained the merchants in the techniques of international finance. Its wealth is visible in the palaces of the ribbon lords on the Rheinsprung and at the Kirschgarten. Its need for dyes gave rise to the trade in dyestuffs from which the Geigy firm and, after the discovery of synthetic dyes, the Basel chemical industry emerged. And its capital and expertise formed the matrix from which the private banks of Basel developed. The next chapter examines the families who owned this industry and the culture of discretion that they cultivated.

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of August 2025.

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