IS MULBERRY SILK SUSTAINABLE?

At FreedomSilk we like to put sustainability at the core of everything we do. We feel it is important to leverage our influence and help to align economic development with social responsibility and environmental care. All of our packagings is carefully thought out to be either recyclable, biodegradable or reusable, mostly a combination of the three and we try to avoid the use of plastic wherever we can.

So, is silk sustainable? This is a question a lot of people often ask so we are going to tell you a little bit about this beautiful material.

HISTORY OF SILK

Silk is one of the oldest and most valuable fabrics in the world.

Did you know that sleeping on silk goes back nearly 4000 years?

Silk originated from China in around 2,700BC and it was such a prized material that its techniques were kept a secret for a very long time. Although, knowledge and cultivation eventually spread through to India, Persia, and then onto Europe in the 6th century. Interestingly China still remains the world’s largest silk producer.

HOW IS SILK MADE?

The production of mulberry silk starts with silkworms, who are fed an exclusive diet of mulberry leaves. After about a month of feeding, they will have the energy to start spinning their cocoon. The silkworms will then naturally spin their cocoons in one long filament which can amazingly measure up to one and a half kilometers long.

The mulberry leaves give the silk many characteristics such as being antibacterial and anti-fungal creating a 100% natural protein fibre and it is this cocoon that is extracted for the silk. Mulberry silk threads are smoother, stronger, and finer than other silk varieties and often why is more expensive.

WHAT IS PURE MULBERRY SILK?

Silk is a completely natural, biodegradable, and long-lasting fabric. Its production by silkworms can be repeated infinitely, making it a renewable source whereas other fabric productions rely on fossil fuels which are finite and can’t easily be replenished.

As silk is a natural fiber, it will easily biodegrade in soil once discarded and will not pollute the environment like other petroleum-based fabrics such as acrylic and nylon. It can even be composted together with your food and garden waste.

As with any other type of fabric, silk is usually dyed. Many dyes applied to fabrics can be toxic and sometimes formaldehyde can be used in the finishing process of silk, which could affect your health. At FreedomSilk we only use non-toxic dyes in our dyeing process making our silk perfect for even those with the most delicate skin.