PROPERTIES OF NATURAL SILK
Did you know that silk is a living fibre that has historically been considered the queen of fibres?
Did you know that silk is antibacterial?
Do you know its properties?
Here I explain that silk has a unique combination of properties that no other fibre has.
These days of confinement due to the covid 19 pandemic I have remembered that silk has the property of rejecting dust and other “invisible” particles and I have been investigating more and more. I have visited the website of La casa de la seda where they explain all this very well. If you want to visit it, it is a good discovery to get to know our culture.
Here is a summary of the particularities of silk in 7 properties:
1. Antibacterial
Silk is highly resistant to dust mites and bacteria, does not produce odours and does not absorb dust. Therefore, for people with sensitive, dry or easily irritated skin or even those who are allergic to synthetic fabrics, products made with natural silk are the most recommendable for their health. That is why we say that silk is hypoallergenic.
These days of confinement, if you have a silk scarf at home, it can be really useful. Now, beyond an aesthetic and comfort function, it is a good protection to cover the neck and mouth.
I have tried to make some masks with one side of cotton and the other side of silk painted with cuttings I had. If you have some silk to recycle it is also a good idea to make a small mask.
2.Breathable
The proteins that make up natural silk give it a structure that absorbs heat and moisture and transfers it, allowing the skin to breathe and stay cool. In hot weather or for people who tend to sweat, silk is very suitable.
3.Thermoregulator
Woven silk yarns perform a temperature regulating function by means of air moving within the space between yarns. In contact with the skin, it produces a warm sensation from the very first moment. Silk is warm in winter and cool in summer.
4. Antistatic
The composition of silk, unlike synthetic fabrics, means that it is not charged with static energy and does not produce the unpleasant sensations of other fabrics when passing this energy to our skin.
5. Extra comfortable
Silk is the finest, most flexible and lightest natural fibre that exists, which means that it has a lot of movement and adaptability in our body. There are vaporous silks, others with a lot of drape, others with transparency, but they all have in common that they are a caress for the human body.
6. 100% natural
Contrary to appearances, silk is very resistant. It comes as we know from the silkworm Bombyx mori, a true gift of nature. Its components make it pleasant to the touch for its softness, pleasing to the eye for its transparency, ductility and brilliance.
7. Durable
Hand washable and dry cleanable. If it is a scarf, I can confirm that it can be washed with cold water and neutral soap. In the case of a suit, if you are not sure that it is 100% natural, it is better to do it dry.
I iron the scarves after I have finished fixing and washing them. No fear, still a little damp, and it’s as good as new. If you want to put a cloth between the silk and the iron, you can also do this.
Silk elasticity ranges from moderate to poor. If it is stretched beyond a certain limit of strength, it takes time for it to return to its previous shape.
We can end by saying that silk is a very durable natural fabric as long as it is properly cared for.
