Who, where, how, and when did the Europeans figure out the Chinese silk making process?

Question

I want to know how they figured the closely protected secret.

Answer 1

Wiki says: "Despite the popularity of silk, the secret of silk-making was only to reach Europe around CE 550, via the Byzantine Empire. Legend has it that monks working for the emperor Justinian smuggled silkworm eggs to Constantinople in hollow canes. The Byzantines were as secretive as the Chinese, and for many centuries the weaving and trading of silk fabric was a strict imperial monopoly; all top-quality looms and weavers were located inside the Palace complex in Constantinople...."