Silk was one of the main articles traded along that road. Other items were spices and drugs such as hashish and opium.
Pretty much all who existed from Western Europe to the far East Asia traded on the silk road. Also, the Muslims played a huge role in what was brought from Asia to Europe. They controlled the middle...
because silk was only made in china(like many things nowadays) and people out west wanted silk
From the chinese who made the silk
Chang'an,China.... :)