Silk thread is a natural material made from fibers obtained from the cocoon of the silkworm. The domesticated butterfly of the “true silkworm” family became one of the most significant discoveries of its time and a breakthrough in spinning and weaving. This event took place about 3000 years ago BC. The ancestral home of the domesticated representative of the valuable Lepidoptera was the region of northern China and the south of Primorsky Krai. From the geographical distribution of the silkworm butterfly, it becomes clear that the Chinese were the first to benefit from the "taming" of the wild "representative" of this winged insect.

Some myths

People in China are very fond of stories. According to the established legend, everything happened during the reign of the mythical Yellow Emperor. The eldest wife of the legendary ruler Huang Di, Lei Zu, introduced her people to the secrets of breeding caterpillars and twisting threads from the fibers of silkworm cocoons, for which she was nicknamed Xi-Ling-Chi - the mistress of silk worms, and later even elevated to the host of gods, making her a goddess sericulture. In general, the very time of the reign of the yellow emperor is a tangle of legends and myths, and the tendency of the ancient Chinese to attribute all important events to their rulers, and no one knows exactly how everything really happened. Nevertheless, until now, in one of the provinces of China - Zhejian, in the middle of spring - on April 5, a holiday-fair is held with a visit to the statue of Empress Xi-Ling-Chi and offering gifts to her.

According to another, more mundane legend, women picking fruits from trees put white fruits, harder, and, as it turned out, unsuitable for eating, in baskets along with ordinary ones. But women did not yet know this and were looking for a way to make "unusual fruits" edible. Having boiled them, they began to beat the “strange fruits” with sticks to soften them, but, in the end, instead of pulp, they got many, many thin threads - the white fruits turned out to be silkworm cocoons.

There are many other stories about the origin of the production of silk threads, but they are even more fantastic, and more like fairy tales for children.

History of silk

In addition to legends, there are also historical facts about the beginning of the practical application of cocoon threads. Archaeological excavations have shown that the secrets of making silk fabric were known even during the Neolithic culture.

During numerous excavations in various Chinese provinces, not only written references were found, in the form of hieroglyphs with symbols of silk, a mulberry tree and a cocoon, but also the cocoons themselves, and the surviving fragments of silk products.

Until the unification of China into a single state in the third century BC, there were many independent estates in the territory of the Celestial Empire. By the middle of the first millennium BC, already about six states on the territory of present-day China owned their own production of thread, fabric and products from it.

The united China zealously defended the secret of silk production and the cultivation of caterpillars, and for good reason - at one time it was the main source of income for both manufacturers and the entire imperial house. The strictest ban was imposed not only on the production of silk, but also on the export of seeds and sprouts of the mulberry tree and the silkworm itself: larvae, caterpillars, cocoons. Any violation was punishable by death.

In the second century BC. The Great Silk Road was laid - a caravan road connecting East Asia with the Mediterranean. From the very name of this route, it becomes clear that silk was the main commodity of caravans from Asia. For millennia, China has remained the monopoly producer of this material. But already in 300 AD, the secret of breeding "silk worms" and the production of threads from cocoons was mastered by Japan, and after it - in 522 by Byzantium (with the help of two "inquisitive" monks) and some of the Arab countries from which, subsequently , during the Crusades, the "silk secret" "leaks" to Europe.

How silk thread is born

The silkworm is grown on purpose today. There are many breeding varieties that differ not only in the ability to live and reproduce in various conditions, but also in the frequency of reproduction. Some species can bring offspring once a year, others - twice, and still others can give birth to several offspring within one year.

Butterfly (silkworm moth)

Domesticated representatives are kept in special farms, where the process begins with mating, after which the female moth lays eggs, from which the worst are culled. During the mating season, moths of different sexes are planted in special bags, and at the end of it, the female lays eggs for several days. Silkworms are quite prolific and can lay 300 to 600 eggs at a time.
The butterfly itself is quite large in size. An adult can reach a length of up to 6 centimeters with the same wingspan. Despite such impressive wings, domesticated moths are unable to fly. Their lifespan is only 12 days. Another interesting fact: the butterfly is not able to eat and all its moth life it is in a state of hunger due to the underdevelopment of the mouth and digestive organs.

Larvae and caterpillars

In order for the larvae to emerge from the eggs, they are kept for 8-10 days at a certain air humidity and temperature - 24-25 ° C. After hatching, hairy, 3 mm larvae, they are transferred to another, well-ventilated room, in special trays, where they begin to intensively feed on fresh mulberry leaves. Within one month, the larva will molt 4 times and eventually turn into a large caterpillar (up to 8 cm long and up to 1 cm in diameter) of light pearl color and large jaws on a large head.
The most important organ of the caterpillar, which is why it is grown, is located under the lip. It looks like a tubercle, from which a special liquid is released, which, when solidified, turns into a thin and strong thread - in the future, after certain manipulations, turned into silk. A tubercle is a place where two silk secreting glands converge, the fibroin thread secreted by them is glued together in this place with the help of sericin (the caterpillar's natural glue).

Pupation process (cocoon formation)

After the fourth molt and transformation from a larva to a caterpillar, the silkworm becomes less voracious. Gradually, the silk-secreting glands are completely filled, and the caterpillar begins, literally oozes with it, continuously leaving behind a frozen secretion (fibroin) as it moves along. At the same time, a noticeable change in its color occurs - it becomes translucent. What is happening suggests that the "silkworm" is entering the pupation phase. After that, it is transferred to a tray with small cocoon pegs, on which the silkworm settles and begins to twist its cocoon, with a quick movement of the head, releasing up to 3 cm of thread per turn. Cocoons, depending on the type of silkworm, can have a different shape: round, elongated, oval. Their sizes vary from 1 to 6 cm. The color of the cocoon can be white, golden, and sometimes acquire a lilac color. The length of the thread used to create a cocoon can be from 800 m to 1500 m, the thickness is 0.011-0.012 mm (for example: a human hair has a diameter of 0.04-0.12 mm).

An interesting fact: the cocoons of males have a denser structure and are of better quality.

Formation of a silk thread from a cocoon

After many cocoons have appeared on the trays, they are collected and subjected to heat treatment, thereby killing the caterpillar inside, to prevent the butterfly from hatching. During this process, sorting and rejection are also carried out. The cocoons remaining after sorting are subjected to softening and tearing, as well as the primary removal of impurities, by boiling them for several hours in a boiling soapy solution or steaming them with steam. Following boiling or steaming, the cocoons are left to soak for a while. During the necessary procedures described above, the sericin (adhesive substance) is washed out and impurities are removed, after which the multi-stage process of thread formation begins.

Silk cocoon fiber, at the initial stage of processing, consists of many elements, including: fibroin (protein) - up to 75% of the total weight, sericin (silk viscous, protein glue) - up to 23%, as well as wax, minerals and some from fats. In addition to the main ones (fibroin and sericin), there are about 18 more components.

Then, with the help of a brush, the ends of the fiber are found and, depending on what the thickness of the silk thread should be in the future, one or another number of cocoons are left. On average, it takes about 5,000 silkworm cocoons and 36 hours of winding to form one kilogram of fabric. For clarity of the described process, we advise you to watch the following video, which shows a non-industrial, artisanal production method:

Preparatory work before bleaching and dyeing the thread

As a rule, before dyeing or bleaching natural silk, it is first subjected to heat treatment in a special solution that removes residual sericin. As ingredients for a solution with a volume of one liter can serve:

  • 40% oleic soap - 3.6 g;
  • soda ash - 0.25 g.

Threads are lowered into the prepared solution and boiled at a temperature of 95 ° C for half an hour, followed by thorough washing in order to wash out the remaining components, for subsequent uniform dyeing. The composition of the flushing liquid per liter of water:

  • sodium hexametaphosphate - 0.5 g;
  • ammonia - 0.5 ml.

Washing takes place at a temperature of 70 °C.

After washing is completed, the threads are rinsed in non-hot water. The optimum temperature of the rinsed liquid is 50-55 °C.

Whitening

To get snow-white silk, it must be bleached. For bleaching, an alkaline solution is used, the main ingredient of which is ordinary hydrogen peroxide. The prepared raw materials are soaked, with occasional stirring, for 9-13 hours in a solution of water and peroxide heated to 70 ° C.

Coloring

The dyeing process is no less laborious. The main components in it can be both natural dyes and their chemical counterparts. Before dyeing itself, the raw material is pre-etched with a 1% solution using metal salts. As a pickling agent, as a rule, the following are used:

  • potassium alum;
  • inkstone;
  • sulfate copper;
  • chrome-potassium alum;
  • chromopic;
  • dichloride tin.

Before immersion in the pickling bath, the raw material is soaked in water. After the end of the cold pickling, which lasts about 24 hours, the threads are also rinsed and dried. The silk is ready to be dyed.

There are many ways of staining, some of which are still unknown to the general public, as they are the know-how of one or another master.

For those who want to practice dyeing silk in the microwave, we recommend watching this video:

revival

To give shine, as well as richness of colors, the raw materials are treated with the essence of acetic acid.

Decating

And finally, silk threads are treated with high-pressure steam for several minutes, this process is called decathing, its necessity is due to the removal of structural stress inside the threads themselves.

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Silk is not in vain called the "king of fabrics", because this fabric is very beautiful, has many advantages and can be used both in the production of clothing and accessories, and in interior design. What is silk made of and how difficult is it? Read the article below.

A bit of history

The production of this amazing fabric originated in ancient China, and for a very long time the world did not know the secret of its manufacture. The threat of the death penalty hung over the person who decided to reveal this secret. Therefore, the price of the fabric was appropriate, few people could afford to buy it. In the Roman Empire, silk was worth its weight in gold! When did the Chinese learn to use silkworm threads to make thin linen? No historian will give you the exact date. There is a legend that a cocoon of a caterpillar once fell into the tea of ​​the Empress and turned into a thread of amazing beauty. Then the wife of the Yellow Emperor began to breed silkworm caterpillars.

Only in 550 AD. e. Byzantine emperor Justinian managed to reveal the secret of what silk is made of. Two monks were sent to China on a secret mission. Returning two years later, they brought silkworm eggs with them. The monopoly is over.

About silkworm caterpillars

Natural silk fabric today, as in ancient times, can only be made using the best caterpillars. There are a lot of butterflies in the silkworm family, but only caterpillars called Bombyx mori can give the most expensive thread. This species does not exist in the wild, as it was created and raised artificially. They were bred for the sole purpose of laying eggs for rearing silk-producing caterpillars.

They fly very badly and see almost nothing, but they cope with the main task perfectly. Caterpillars live for several days, but manage to find a partner and lay up to 500 eggs. On about the tenth day, caterpillars emerge from the eggs. It takes about 6,000 caterpillars to produce a kilogram of silk.

How do caterpillars produce silk thread?

What silk is made of, we have already figured out, but how does it happen? How does a caterpillar produce such a precious thread? The fact is that the hatched creatures eat the leaves of the mulberry tree on which they live all day and night. In two weeks of life, they grow 70 times and molt several times. Having fed the mass, the silkworms are ready for the production of thread. The body becomes translucent, and the caterpillars crawl in search of a place to develop a thread. At this point, they need to be placed in special boxes with cells. There they begin an important process - weaving cocoons.

The digested leaves turn into fibroin, which accumulates in the glands of the caterpillar. Over time, the protein turns into a substance called sericin. In the mouth of the creatures there is a spinning organ, at the exit from which two strands of fibroin are glued together with the help of sericin. It turns out one strong one that freezes in the air.

One caterpillar is capable of twisting a thread more than a thousand kilometers long in two days. It takes more than a hundred cocoons to produce one silk scarf, and 9,000 for a traditional kimono!

Silk production technology

When the cocoon is ready, it must be unwound (this is called cocoon reeling). To begin with, cocoons are collected and subjected to heat treatment. After that, low-quality threads are thrown away. The remaining threads are steamed in hot water to moisturize and soften. Then special brushes find the end, and the machine connects two or more threads (depending on the desired thickness). The raw material is rewound, so it dries.

Why is the fabric so smooth? The fact is that according to a special technology, all sirocin is removed from it. Silk is boiled in a soapy solution for several hours. Cheaper untreated fabric is rough and difficult to dye. That is why chiffon is not so smooth.

Silk dyeing

The long journey of fabric production is not yet over, although it is nearing completion. After boiling the silk, another important stage lies ahead - dyeing. Smooth threads are easy to dye. The structure of fibroin allows the dye to penetrate deep into the fiber. Therefore, silk scarves retain their color for so long. The canvas contains positive and negative ions, which allows you to use any paint and get a good result. Silk is dyed both in skeins and ready-made fabric.

To obtain a more shiny fabric and its rich color, silk is "revitalized", that is, treated with vinegar essence. At the end of the journey, the canvas is once again doused with hot steam under pressure. This allows you to remove the internal stress of the fibers. The process is called decatenation.

Now you know what silk is made of and what a long way it is. It is mainly produced in China and India, but the trendsetters of "silk fashion" are France and Italy. Currently, there are many reminiscent of silk, but at a much lower price (viscose, nylon). However, not a single fabric can compete with natural silk!

It is impossible to give an exact date when people learned to use threads from silkworm cocoons to make fabric. An ancient legend says that once a cocoon fell into the tea of ​​the Empress of China - the wife of the Yellow Emperor - and turned into a long silk thread. It is believed that it was this Empress who taught her people to breed caterpillars in order to produce a fabric that is unique in its composition. The ancient production technology was strictly classified for many years, and for the disclosure of this secret, you could easily lose your head.

What is silk made from?

Several thousand years have passed, and silk products are still in demand and are also valued all over the world. Numerous artificial substitutes for silk, although they approached the original in their properties, are still inferior to natural silk in many criteria.

So, natural silk is a soft fabric made from threads extracted from the cocoon of a silkworm (read the article "?"). About 50% of the world's production of natural silk is concentrated in China, from here the best quality silk is supplied all over the world. Incidentally, silk production began here as early as the fifth millennium BC, so this craft in China is more than traditional.

The best silkworms are used to create the highest quality silk. After hatching from eggs, these caterpillars immediately begin to eat. In order to start producing silk threads, silkworms increase their weight by 10,000 times by eating only fresh mulberry leaves! After 40 days and 40 nights of continuous feeding, the larvae begin to weave a cocoon. The silk cocoon is made from a single strand of saliva. Each caterpillar is capable of producing almost a kilometer long silk thread! It takes 3-4 days to make a cocoon.

By the way, not only silkworms produce threads. Spiders and bees also produce silk, only silkworm silk is used in industry.

Silk production technology

The production of natural silk is a rather complex and multi-stage process. The first stage is the cleaning and sorting of silkworm cocoons. Untangling the delicate silk thread is not so easy, because it is glued together by a protein called sericin. For this purpose, the cocoons are thrown into hot water to soften the sericin and clean the threads. Each thread is only a few thousandths of a millimeter wide, so to make a thread strong enough, several threads have to be interlaced. It takes about 5,000 cocoons to produce just one kilogram of silk.

After removing the sericin protein, the threads are thoroughly dried, as they are quite fragile when wet and can be easily torn. Traditionally, this is done by adding raw rice to the threads, which easily absorbs excess moisture. In automated production, the threads are also dried.

Then the dried silk thread is wound on a special device that can hold a huge number of threads. After all these procedures, the finished silk is hung out to dry.

An undyed silk thread is a bright yellow thread. To dye it in other colors, the thread is first dipped in hydrogen peroxide to bleach it, and then dyed in the desired color with dyes.

Silk threads still have a long way to go to become a fabric, namely the weaving of threads on a loom. In Chinese villages, where traditional manual production flourishes, 2-3 kilograms of silk are made daily, while automatic production at the factory makes it possible to produce 100 kilograms of silk every day.

Silk is a valuable fabric known throughout the world for its soft sheen, unique smoothness and high durability. It was from natural silk that the robes of kings and noble nobles were made in ancient times. Now the precious material is available to everyone: it is used to make magnificent clothes and shoes, luxurious interior decorations and valuable home textiles.

Silk, unlike other fabrics, is not made from materials of plant or animal origin. It is made from cocoons of silkworm caterpillars.

The appearance of the material

The world owes the appearance of silk to the ancient Chinese craftsmen, who began to extract silk thread from cocoons a couple of millennia BC. Then silk fabric was made by hand, so only emperors and nobility had products from it.

The Chinese understood the value of the amazing fabric, so they kept the secret of its manufacture a secret. A person who dared to divulge the secret of silk production was condemned to death. However, by the 4th century, silk production technology had become known in Korea, Japan and India. In 550, this art became available to Europeans.


The color of passion.

Manufacturing technology

Silk making technology is very complicated. Moths and silkworm caterpillars are grown in special nurseries. When the caterpillar is wrapped in a cocoon, it is killed, and the cocoon is softened in hot water. Then it is unwound. From one cocoon, from 300 to 1000 m of silk fiber is obtained. The thread is compacted by twisting 5–8 fibers at a time, and wound into spools.

Coils are sorted, processed, sometimes the fibers are additionally twisted to increase density. The finished material is sent to the factory. There, the yarn is soaked in water and dyed. Then fabrics with different weaves are made from it. The type of silk fabric will depend on the type of weaving and the density of the threads.

Important! Now different countries are engaged in the manufacture of this material. However, China is still considered the leader in the supply of natural silk to the world market.

Chemical and physical properties of silk fabrics

Silk composition

The chemical composition of silk thread is close to human hair or animal wool: 97% of it consists of protein, the rest is wax and fats. Its composition is as follows:

  • 18 amino acids;
  • 2% potassium and sodium;
  • 3% fat and wax components;
  • 40% sericin;
  • 80% fibroin.

Natural silk is very expensive: not everyone can afford a product made from this material. Therefore, factories have now appeared that are engaged in the manufacture of artificial fabrics - cupro silk (from viscose) and synthetic silk. Externally, synthetics differ little from natural fabrics, but do not have its wear resistance, strength and hygiene.

Important! The strength of silk is reduced when exposed to temperatures above 110°C or ultraviolet rays. The fabric becomes brittle, can be torn from minor physical impacts. With a long stay in the open sun (more than 200 hours), the strength of silk is halved.

Silk properties

Natural silk has gained popularity due to its amazing properties. Features of silk fabric are as follows:

  1. High density, wear resistance and resistance to vinegar and alcohol. Only a concentrated solution of acid or alkali can damage the material.
  2. Smoothness, soft shine and bright overflows. Silk pleasantly adheres to the skin, gently flows along the body and gently shines, making the products made from it look royally luxurious.
  3. Bactericidal and hypoallergenic properties. Silk prevents the growth of bacteria, absorbs unpleasant odors and does not cause allergies. That is why it is often used to make clothes and bedding.
  4. The crease of the material depends on the type. Plain weave silk wrinkles easily. But silk-lycra or silk-jacquard almost do not wrinkle.
  5. The fabric does not undergo combustion: when a spark hits a silk product, it begins to smolder, spreading the smell of burnt feathers.

Fabric specifications

For fans of silk clothing, other properties of the material are also important:

  • the fabric is well dyed in any shades due to the high hygroscopicity of the material:
  • perfectly passes and absorbs water, does not electrify, stretches well;
  • has an average shrinkage: after washing, the silk fabric always shrinks and can lose up to 5% of its original length.

Important! Silk is not only used for making clothes. Fine souvenirs are made from it, it is used in embroidery, knitting and felting, and crepe de chine, foulard or toile is an excellent basis for paintings and batik scarves.

Silk varieties

There are many varieties of silk fabrics. They differ in the quality of the thread, appearance, structure, weaving pattern and properties.

The most common types of silk fabric:

  1. Toile- material with plain weaving, which holds its shape well and is distinguished by a soft shine and high density. It is used for sewing dresses, skirts, linings for outerwear and ties.
  2. Silk satin- fabric with satin weave, which has two sides: a shiny front and a matte back. The satin drapes well and can have different densities. It is used for making clothes, shoes and decorating interiors.
  3. Silk chiffon- a fabric with a plain weave. Differs in softness, transparency, roughness and dullness. Used for blouses, dresses, bathrobes.
  4. dupont- dense fabric with a sheen. It is used for tailoring of curtains, curtains and vertical blinds.
  5. Foulard- light and shiny fabric, suitable for making linen and scarves. It is very popular with batik masters.

There are other types of fabric: gas, organza, silk-viscose, excelsior, brocade, chescha.

Areas of use

The areas of application of silk are numerous:

  1. Making clothes. Both winter and summer clothes are made from silk fabrics, since this material maintains a comfortable temperature for the body in any weather. In addition, silk products have an attractive appearance, absorb unpleasant odors, prevent the growth of bacteria on the skin and do not cause allergies.
  2. The medicine. Silk has disinfectant and bactericidal properties, which is why it is used as a suture material in surgery (even in such delicate areas as eye or neurosurgery). Threads made from the outer or inner fiber of the cocoon - burette silk - are best suited for performing surgical sutures.
  3. Home textiles. This hypoallergenic material, which does not breed bugs and dust mites, is great for making home textiles. Curtains, roller blinds, bed linen, furniture covers, bedspreads are sewn from dense silk.

Advantages and disadvantages of natural silk

Material advantages:

Cons of silk:

  • expensive;
  • needs special careful care;
  • does not tolerate washing in very hot water;
  • requires accuracy when ironing;
  • loses strength with prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
  • becomes contaminated when liquid or sweat comes into contact with the surface.

Despite the fact that silk products have a number of disadvantages, this fabric remains popular all over the world.

Silk is a delicate fabric that requires careful wear and careful care. The main recommendations for the care of silk things are as follows:

  • wash by hand at a temperature not exceeding 30ºС or in a typewriter in the "Delicate wash" or "Silk" mode;
  • do not use ordinary alkaline powder for washing: you need to purchase a cleaning agent with the inscription "for silk";
  • do not use bleach and fabric softener;
  • do not wrinkle, twist and squeeze the material strongly so as not to spoil its structure;
  • to dry a silk product, it is advisable to wrap it in a towel, allow excess moisture to absorb, and then put the thing on a horizontal surface and leave to dry;
  • silk can be ironed in the “Silk” mode without steam, it is forbidden to iron a wet product;
  • after washing, colored silk should be rinsed in cool water with the addition of vinegar (5 tablespoons of 9% vinegar per 10 liters of water).

If you take proper care of silk products, they will serve you for many years.

There were legends about silk fabric in ancient times: an outlandish material from the Celestial Empire is incredibly thin and durable, shiny, beautiful and, perhaps, even healing. Now silk remains one of the most expensive fabrics, which is dictated by the peculiarities of the production process and the properties of the material. .

The source of raw materials remained unique - like thousands of years ago natural silk is made from fibers obtained by processing the cocoons of silkworm caterpillar pupae . Accordingly, silk production requires special weather conditions. China still remains the main exporter of silk to the world market. , although silkworms are grown in India, Brazil and other countries with a warm climate.

Story

The silkworm was "domesticated" in China about 5,000 years ago. . This is dim butterfly that feeds on mulberry leaves (mulberries) and during pupation, it spins a cocoon of very strong fibers as thick as a cobweb . According to mythological legends, the first silk thread was woven by the young Empress Xi Ling Shi, who later became known as the goddess of silk.

After 2.5 thousand years, the secret technology became known to the Arabs, then leaked to Byzantium. But Chinese silk has always been valued above the rest.

Production technology

The silkworm caterpillar spins a cocoon of a very thin and strong fiber. An oval or egg-shaped cocoon-pupa with a hole on one side serves as a home for a caterpillar, which is preparing to turn into a butterfly. Silk production technology does not allow silkworm butterflies to leave a cocoon in a natural way - d about the completion of the transformation of the insect, the pupae are doused with boiling water, and the caterpillars die . For this reason, conservationists have been fighting against the producers of natural silk for many years. But it has not yet been possible to recreate its properties in artificial conditions, so the killing of caterpillars continues.

Under the action of boiling water, the fibers become more elastic, and the adhesive solution with which the caterpillar fastens its “house” dissolves. . After heat treatment, the cocoon is easily unwound into individual fibers. The natural color of silk is white or cream. To get a silk thread, several fibers are twisted together. (up to eight). This thread is called raw silk.

Finished threads are impregnated with chemical compounds , which give the material water-repellent properties, prevent shrinkage and creasing of the fabric in the future.

Silk Benefits

  • Air and water permeability - silk "breathes" and does not retain heat, which is very useful for summer clothes and underwear.
  • Lightness and strength - the fabric is practically not felt on the body, but it is much more difficult to tear it than cotton or viscose.
  • Elasticity - silk things do not deform when washed, do not stretch on the knees and elbows and do not shrink.
  • Smoothness - silk not only shines excellently, due to the smooth surface it practically does not wear out and does not form ugly spools.
  • It is believed that amino acids in silk have a positive effect on skin condition , accelerate cell regeneration, thereby creating a rejuvenating effect.

Weak sides

  • Silk is damaged by high temperatures - iron and wash it with minimal heat.
  • Dyes on silk fabrics fade quickly under the open sun.

Subtleties of care

You can often find silk mixed with synthetics - this is a more practical and economical option. . The label of natural silk will necessarily indicate: "100% KBT SEIDE" (sometimes "ORGANIC SEIDE"). In the latter case, the material is also organic, which means that chemicals hazardous to human health were not even used to process mulberry leaves, which the silkworms fed on. How to care for such a delicate fabric?

  • Wash in water not warmer than 30 degrees manually or in "silk" mode;
  • do not twist , just gently squeeze out the water;
  • do not dry in the sun ;
  • cannot be dried or stored silk things near heating appliances or other sources of heat;
  • iron in the most gentle mode from the wrong side of the product .