All that you wanted to know about silk and silk bedding
About Silk
Silk in not a plant fiber but a protein fiber
made by the silk worm. There are 2 types
of worms - cultivated and wild. The silk
worm feeds on scrub oak and are found in India, China, And
Japan. The fiber of the wild silkworm is
a coarse brown with hard texture.
Extraordinary care is taken of the silkworms that are raised for
the textile production ensuring the conditions are sanitary and they are fed
mulberry leaves. It takes 3,000
silkworms to produce one pound of raw silk.
That is why silk is an expensive fabric.
A single cocoon of a cultivated silkworm can be upto 1,600 yards long.
The natural silk fiber is superior to any animal or plant fiber
despite its very delicate appearance.
They are light and supple and comfortable year round- warm in winter and cool in summer. However, it is a poor conductor of heat
making clothes of this fabric warmer than cotton or linen. It abso
rbs a great deal of moisture and still
feel relatively dry. Silks absorb
moisture and oil form the body and easily shed the dirt thus making it a
sanitary textile.
Cultivated silk more expensive than wild silk is also finer,
smoother, rounder, more uniform in shape, size and color, and has longer thread
filament. This will cost you more but it
is also more durable. Cultivated silk is
also known as mulberry silk. Wild silk
is called spun silk because the filaments are not very long so the filaments
are spun together to make it long.
France is well known for its
finished silks even though they come from Asia.
Back to the top
How to tell if it is
real silk?
-
When it is burnt smells like hair burning
-
Will curl away from the flame and form a small brittle ball that
can be crushed.
-
Almost always extinguishes itself out.
Why pick silk?
- 100% Natural and
Hypo-allergenic - Dust mites, molds and funguses stay
away form silk due to the naturally occurring substances in the silk. Thus silk bedding the perfect choice for people with allergies
and asthama. Silk is also mold and mildew
resistant due to the natural resisting protein found in silk which often
cause allergies
- Good for the skin -the naturally occurring amino
acids in silk are good for a person's
skin and prevent wrinkling and bad hair days.
- Light Weight - silk
is light weight making it the perfect choice for silk sheets and silk
bedding.
- Temperature regulation -
is breathable where one never feels hot or cold. Wicks away the moisture in summer and in
winter forms to the body eliminating air pockets to hold in heat to keep
your body warm. It is a perfect
self adujusting fabric ideal for year round.
- Durable-
strong and resilient and lasts for a long time. The durability of silk to the same
diameter of steel is said to be stronger.
- Fire retardant - silk is
naturally fire retardant
- Easy to care for - Most can
be machine washed using gentle soap and water. Silk comforters should not be cleaned as
they naturally repel dut mites, mold and mildew.
- Luxurious and sensous feel - silk
sheets give you the feel and experience of luxury. They caress your body in the softness of
the silk which is second to none.
- Calms the nervous system- allows the
body to refresh and rejuvenate while sleeping
Back to the top
Types of Silk Weaves
Charmeuse Silk - known as the silk of the emperors. It is known for its shine and smooth luster
and elegant drape.
Dupioni Silk - a textures silk weave similar to shantung. Irregular sized fibers are woven into the
base of the fabric to create a texture.
Habotai Silk- a light weight silk that is soft and lustrous.
Jacquard Silk - a silk
which creates intricate woven patterns with a combination of both matte and
shiny surfaces.
Back to the top
How to pick silk Bedding
- When picking silk sheets it
is very important to look at the momme weight and the thread count. Momme weight is the weight of the silk. The lower the count indicates that they
are thin and won't be very durable.
12-19 is the perfect momme weight for sheets. A 400 thread count combined with
cultivated silk makes a perfect choice when buying silk sheets that will
be high quality and durable.
- Type of silk. There are 2 types of silk - cultivated
and wild. The filaments of the
cultivated silk are longer and more durable making them a recommended
choice over wild silk.
- Silk versus satin - sometimes
there can be confusion between satin and silk. Satin refers to the weave while silk
refers to the fiber. Satin weave
produces a smooth and shiny surface.
Satin silk sheets are very luxurious, durable and desirable, though
they can be a bit expensive.
- Check the size as well as the
depth of your mattress before picking a sheet. Check the depth of the mattress to see
if you need to order extra deep sheets.
Back to the top
