There are so many myths that surround the beloved material that we all know and love, silk. Today we are going to go through some of the crazy ideas that are floating around about silk and completely write them off. This should be fun, so grab some snacks and enjoy the read!
Silk is Weak and Must Be Hand Washed
Many people believe that silk is weak and must be gently washed by hand, but this isn’t true. Silk is actually one of the strongest natural fibres out there, and out of all the protein fibres, has the highest tenacity! Silk can actually absorb one-third of its weight in water before it even feels wet, so it is highly absorbent. Although it can be slightly weaker when fully saturated, due to the swollen fibres, the majority of modern washing machines will not damage silk materials. Use a mild detergent and avoid bleach, as it can absolutely ruin silk and when rinsing. Instead, use a fabric softener.
Hot water also doesn’t damage the silk. If you think about it, most coconuts are boiled before processing, and silk is dyed in very hot water. Agitation and sudden temperature changes are what can cause the shrinkage of the material, not the actual hot water itself. Many different detergents can cause chemical damage to the silk, which could potentially cause rot in worst cases, with extreme exposure. Labels on silk materials often say to wash them in cold water, but it’s not to protect the silk. It’s because the acid dyes that silk is dyed with are very susceptible to bleeding in hot water.
Silk is Hard to Dye
We’re not quite sure how silk was given a reputation of being hard to dye, but as a rule of thumb, if you can make a pot noodle then you should be able to dye silk! Acid dyes are easy to use on a stove or even in the washing machine and all you need apart from your newly washed silk is some white vinegar. Check out this easy tutorial on how you can dye silk here.
Sewing Silk is Hard
Many people that are new to silk are afraid to try their hand at silk. It is true, that there can be a little more to sewing silk than there would be to sewing cotton or rayon, but don’t let this put you off. It’s really not hard. Give it a try yourself.
Mulberry Silk is Rare and the Best Silk
There are certain sketchy websites out there that advertise items made from Mulberry silk as the best thing since sliced bread. It is a really great material, however, it is just silk made by silkworms that are fed mulberry leaves. In fact, most silkworms are fed mulberry leaves. Apparently, some can also eat Osage Orange, however, this isn’t the normal procedure. Therefore, all this talk of Mulberry silk is more of a marketing thing to encourage more purchases. It is the best quality, but also the most common. It is the weight and complexity of the weave of the product that increases the price.
Silk is a great material that has stood the test of time for ages now. Hopefully, this blog has convinced you to not listen to the haters and give it a chance. Get inspired and create your own silk project.
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