Sericulture and silk making in Volos, especially at an industrial level of production, was introduced by Greek refugees from Asia Minor and more specifically by the brothers Georgios and Athanasios Etmektzoglou, who came to Volos from Ortakioi in Bithynia, an area with a rich tradition of silk production. They started out by buying a plot of land in “Agro Karagiannis” in the refugee settlement of Nea Ionia in Volos. There they built a small reeling shed with 10 basins at which 17 people were employed, founding the silk mill in 1924 under the name “A.Etmektzoglou Sons”. In 1928 it evolved into a steam powered mill with over 150 employees, mainly female refugees from Asia Minor. It was the most important industrial unit in the region and was famous for the high quality of the silks it produced. From 1975 – 1991 a textile mill operated on the ground floor of the factory.

Today, the factory is owned by the Municipality of Nea Ionia and has been beautifully restored and renovated. It is now a cultural center and Silk Museum. Its equipment has been kept in good condition making it well worth a visit, highlighting industrial development in Greece in the 20^th century.