Month: August 2018

How to Keep Silk From Wrinkling

Pure silk is made from a natural protein-fiber obtained from the larvae of the mulberry silkworm; it has a tendency to wrinkle depending on the variety. Leaving crumpled silk garments in damp conditions also causes them to wrinkle. Some silks — like crepe de chine, habotai, noil and charmeuse — are less prone to wrinkling. Ahimsa silk — also known as “Peace Silk” because it is made from silkworm cocoons in which the silk worms are not killed — wrinkles less than other silks.

Step 1
Remove wrinkles with a hand-held steamer. Hang your silk clothes in breathable clothes-covers — in a dry place — to keep them wrinkle free.

Step 2
Iron smooth-finish silk like charmeuse on a “low” setting. Hang the garment in a breathable clothes-cover to keep it dry and to prevent it from touching other garments.

Step 3
Place the two ends of your tie together after you take it off. Roll up the tie around your finger. Slip the tie off your finger and leave it rolled up. This tightens the fabric and helps keep the tie wrinkle-free.

Step 4
Fold your silk garments after ironing. Place tissue paper between the folds. This prevents wrinkling when you store or pack the garment.

Tip
Hang up your silk garment in the bathroom when you take a hot shower. The hot steam relaxes the silk fibers. The natural weight of the garments pulls out most wrinkles.

How to Clean 100 Percent Silk Clothing

Silk fabric contains protein fibers that create the smooth texture synonymous with silk. However, 100 percent silk is very delicate, and any wash, detergent based soap or sunlight can damage the fabric and the clothing permanently. Hand wash 100 percent silk clothing to ensure the fabric is not damaged. More importantly, wash silk clothing with neutral-based pH-level soaps to avoid staining the fabric.

Fill a water bucket with lukewarm water. Placing silk in warm water will prevent shrinkage.

Add neutral- or alkaline-based soap. These soaps are not highly acidic, and they do not contain harmful detergents or bleaches, which can damage silk.

Soak the clothing in the soapy water for less than 10 minutes. Any longer, and it can damage the silk’s protein-based fibers.

Scrub the clothing to remove odors and stains. Avoid placing silk clothing inside a washing machine or dryer, as they may damage the fabric. If you must do so, wash and dry using the delicate cycle and mild soap.

Hang the clothing to dry. Avoid drying silk in direct sunlight, as sunlight may fade the color of wet silk. Also avoid using wooden drying racks, as they can stain the fabric.

What is silk fabric?

Silk is an animal protein fibre produced by certain insects, like worms and spiders, to build their cocoons and webs. It is one of the popular fabrics for apparel because of its unique properties. Silk is most luxurious fabric, the most comfortable fabric, the most absorbent of fabrics (equal to wool), the best fabric for drape, the best fabric for color, capable of the greatest lustre, having the finest “hand” etc. These are some of the factors which make the fabric more popular. The fabric is cool in summer and warm in winter

Maintaining Silk

Unwashed silk chiffon may shrink up to 8% due to a relaxation of the fiber macrostructure, so silk should either be washed prior to garment construction, or dry cleaned. Dry cleaning may still shrink the chiffon up to 4%. Occasionally, this shrinkage can be reversed by a gentle steaming with a press cloth. There is almost no gradual shrinkage nor shrinkage due to molecular-level deformation.

Uses of Silk

Silk’s absorbency makes it comfortable to wear in warm weather and while active. Its low conductivity keeps warm air close to the skin during cold weather. It is often used for clothing such as shirts, ties, blouses, formal dresses, high fashion clothes, lining, lingerie, pajamas, robes, dress suits, sun dresses and Eastern folk costumes. For practical use, silk is excellent as clothing that protects from many biting insects that would ordinarily pierce clothing, such as mosquitoes and horseflies. Silk’s attractive lustre and drape makes it suitable for many furnishing applications. It is used for upholstery, wall coverings, window treatments (if blended with another fiber), rugs, bedding and wall hangings. While on the decline now, due to artificial fibers, silk has had many industrial and commercial uses, such as in parachutes, bicycle tires, comforter filling and artillery gunpowder bags

  • Home Decor, Furnishings

Silk fabric may be used to make silk sheets, silk pillow cases, table cloths, throw covers and other home items.

Silk fabrics can also be used for decorations and occasionally used as a high-end wall covering.

I looked it up because I knew that while silk has had many industrial and non-apparel uses in the past, it seems like most of those have been replaced by cheaper and more durable synthetics. They still make silk comforters in China, although they’re expensive. And once upon a time, silk underwear was de rigeur for serious winter campers and hikers, but now people use the cheaper and easier-to-wash polypropylene version.

What is the difference between Charmeuse silk and Mulberry silk?

Mulberry silk refers to the silk made from the cocoons of the larvae of Mulberry silkworms reared in captivity. The entire production process is carefully monitored and the environment of the silkworm larvae strictly controlled to allow the larvae to spin silk threads that are rounder, finer, smoother, lighter and more uniformly colored than any other type of silk in the world. Mulberry silk fibers are also extremely strong, easily beating steel fibers of the same diameter in strength and durability.

Charmeuse silk, technically speaking, does not refer to a type of material as Mulberry silk does; it is a silk fabric made with a particular way of weaving, allowing for extra luster and shine on the front side in exchange for a dull finish at the back. Charmeuse silk can be made from all kinds of different silk including Mulberry silk and is often used on products that does not require showcasing of both sides of the fabric such as pillowcases and duvet covers.

We at Lilysilk promise you that every time you see Charmeuse silk used on our website, it means Charmeuse silk made from 100% pure and natural Mulberry silk and nothing else.

 

Some ABCs about Silk

Why Silk?

SKIN AND HAIR CARE

The smooth surface of silk means there is little friction between your skin and your bedding linen, which is said to be the biggest cause for sleep wrinkles. Sleeping on silk bedding lines enables you to say goodbye to your messy morning hair.

HYPOALLERGENIC

Silk is hypoallergenic and repels common household allergens including bacteria, mold, fungi, and dust mites alike to ensure a healthy and restful sleep throughout the night.

TEMPERATURE-REGULATING

The great insulation properties of silk help keep the temperature around your skin at an optimal level during sleep, allowing you to feel cool in summer and warm in winter.

What is silk made of?

Silk is mostly made up of two proteins, called sericin and fibroin. Fibroins are what makes up the “silk” as we know it, as they form the long strings of silk fiber that act as the structure of the cocoons. Sericin, on the other hand, is the “glue” with which the silkworms hold the fibers together in the shape of the cocoon. Large amounts of sericin is irritant to our skin, so after pupa have been removed, the cocoons must undergo a process in which they are placed in water and lose most of the sericin coating. The filaments made of fibroins are then drawn from the cocoon and weaved, eventually made into silk fabrics as we know it.

Mulberry vs Tussar/Wild silk:

Mulberry silk is produced by the silk worms of Bombyx mori moths, which eat Mulberry leaves. The process of Mulberry silk production is an ancient craft that had been in existence for over 2000 years in China. Generally speaking, Mulberry silk has better color, smoothness, luster, fiber length, fiber uniformness and elasticity that wild tussar silk, in all its coarseness and dimness, can only dream of having.

Satin & Silk Satin:

Satin is not even a type of fabric, it is just a particular way to weave any fabric so that the surface is glossy and shiny and the back is dull. Satin weave can be done with most textiles such as silk, polyester, cotton, nylon, etc., and with any quality of silk as well. So when you read “satin silk” in a product name, know it could very well be made with very low quality silk and break apart easily.

What is Momme in silk fabric?

Mommes (mm), is a unit traditionally used to measure the quality of silk fabrics. One momme = 4.340 grams per square meter. The usual range of momme weight for different weaves of silk are:

Gauze—3 to 5 mm
Organza—4 to 6 mm
Habotai—12 to 16 mm
Charmeuse—12 to 30 mm
Normally, the higher the momme weight, the more durable the weave, the more luxurious the fabric is, the more suitable it is for heavy-duty use, and the longer the shelf-life.

For bedding, the higher the weight in momme, the better the silk bedding is. Sheets between 19-25 momme are considered ideal. silk with momme weight lower than 19 are not suitable for the production of quality silk bedding linen. For sleepwear, 22mm are the most suitable fabric.

How to Identify Silk

The most effective and simple way to identify real silk is burning. You can tell the difference from 2 aspects.
1 Flames
Burning genuine silk produces a smell very similar to that of burning human hair. The flame is close to invisible when burning the edge of the real silk fabric. Very soon after the flame source is taken away from the fabric, the silk will self-extinguish. When burned, fake silk material tend to combust rapidly in intense flames, and give a smell of burning plastic.
2. Ashes
The ash from burning of real silk is black, crispy and turns to powder easily when grinded. The ash of fake silk tend to be sticky, twisted, and difficult to break apart.