Authentic Lotus Silk Scarf? The 49 Latest Answer

Kiton’s heart lies in two nondescript buildings in an industrial suburb of Naples, Italy. One houses about 400 tailors who assemble suits with an endless stream of nearly invisible hand stitches. The other is the company’s fabric warehouse, which is filled to the brim with fabrics – from vintage English wools, which only become perfect if the suit they’ve been made into has been worn for a few decades, to Italian Wool 200s, fabric so fine that its manufacture requires a technological arms race rivaling the Cold War, as weavers strive to make the fiber a micron thinner. These fabrics define Kiton and make their suits not only luxurious but unique.

All but one are for sale and can be turned into jackets or pants (or even ties). The one that isn’t available at any price is a bolt of creamy white fabric about ten feet long. It is softer than the cashmere wool, rarer than the smallest microbatch supers. One client, a billionaire from Asia, flew in to have a suit fitted, saw it and offered six figures to have it made into a coat; Kiton CEO Antonio de Matteis declined. This coveted fabric was the last of the run, possibly the last of this crop available anywhere. Kiton kept it for her archives.

What makes a cloth so valuable? The fabric is made from the hair from the back and neck of the vicuña, a llama-like animal that lives only in the high Andes and only in the wild – it starves itself in captivity – and therefore cannot be bred. In the late 1960s it was hunted to near extinction and it was not until the mid 1990s that herds returned and the production ban was lifted. Now Peruvian campesinos collect the fibers the old-fashioned way, using the chacu method — half religious ceremony, half human shepherd — that the Incas used centuries earlier. Hundreds of farmers join hands in a circle and herd the animals into a group before shearing. An adult vicuña produces only 17 ounces of fiber per year, barely enough for a single scarf. “It takes at least three years to get enough to make just 14 coats,” says de Matteis.

Even by Kiton’s standards, the white vicuña doesn’t come cheap: $115,000 for a coat, $75,500 for a suit jacket. Both are, of course, only available bespoke and customers have to come to the factory for their fitment. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, reservations are already being made for Kiton’s next Bolt. “We have collectors who buy from every edition,” says de Matteis. “Because it’s a natural color, there will be slight variations in each stud and they want one from each crop.” If you want a coat made from the best fabrics in the world, you might want to place your order soon.

To order your own vicuña coat or jacket, call 39-081/585-5289. Visit kiton.it for more information.

Lotus silk is one of the rarest fabrics in the world. This natural fiber is only produced on a small scale in Cambodia, Myanmar and more recently Vietnam, and is harvested by only a few skilled artisans around the world. But making this “silk” is not easy. Obtaining enough lotus silk for a shawl can take two months, and the final product can cost ten times the price of regular silk. How is it made and what makes it so expensive?

Lotus silk, a natural floral fiber, is a rare and very exclusive fiber. This natural floral fiber is obtained by only a few skilled artisans around the world. But making this silk is not easy. Obtaining enough lotus silk for a shawl can take two months or more. The end product made from lotus silk can cost ten times the price of regular silk.

Fabrics made from lotus silk are found in small amounts in Cambodia, Myanmar and, more recently, Vietnam. The lotus is Vietnam’s national flower and a plant grown throughout the country.

The silk thread comes from the stalk of a lotus flower. Therefore, this fiber is 100% cruelty-free. These rare textiles are woven in Cambodia in workshops whose art dates back more than 5000 years.

In Cambodia, weaving is an exclusive art reserved mainly for women. With infinite patience, these women begin a delicate manual process to transform the fiber into a silk thread ready to be woven. Cambodian seamstresses work with the silk in a workshop and pay great attention to the quality of their clothes.

story

Lotus flowers are sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. They symbolize the spirit, the soul, enlightenment and purification of the body. Mythology has it that the origin of lotus root silk lies in a Myanmar woman’s devotion to her faith.

Phan Thi Thuan’s family in Myanmar have been producing silk for generations, raising and harvesting the silkworm threads themselves to create luxurious garments. But the production of lotus silk is different, which usually comes from silkworms. But lotus silk comes from flower fiber, it doesn’t depend on any worms, it’s completely handmade.

The main difference between the light yellow silk and the lighter lotus version is that each individual strand of natural lotus silk has to be extracted by hand. Each thread of lotus silk begins with the stem of the lotus flower.

While this fabric has been made from lotus flowers in Myanmar for years, Phan Thi Thuan’s family only started experimenting with this fiber in 2017.

procedure

Once the lotus stalk is selected and hand-picked, the silk inside the flower can be extracted. A stalk contains a tiny amount of thin, sticky fibers that need to be rolled up and dried as well. The threads must be processed within 24 hours while the stem fibers are wet.

Otherwise these fibers will break down. The lotus plants can only be harvested between April and October. Once they’ve done the hard work of extracting these fibers, they’re also incredibly subtle. After drying, these yarns are carefully weighted and carefully rolled up by hand. Then yarns are placed in the loom.

These natural fibers are fragile, but once woven they can be just as viable as traditional silk.

Phan Thi Thuan’s has a team of 20 workers who make and prepare these fibers every day, so they can make 10 to 20 scarves per month. But when it’s a 10-inch scarf that sells for just over $200, the hard work is totally worth it.

The end product is completely different from all other fibers and fabrics. It is as soft as silk, breathable as linen and light as lively.

Some instructions for lotus silk

This lotus fabric does not need much washing. If you still want to wash your lotus scarf, you must observe the following instructions:

Use just a drop of very mild soap;

Don’t leave your scarf soaked;

do not wring or twist the scarf;

Let the scarf dry in a flat position;

Avoid direct sunlight when drying;

Do not use a tumble dryer;

Use a silk ironing program and iron the scarf while it is still damp.

Conclusion

Some luxurious features have made it popular with tourists looking for rare souvenirs. It has also recently been picked up by international fashion brands looking for new luxury fibers, and also unusual like lotus fabric. But the scope was limited as there are still few skilled in the manufacture of these silk threads or yarns. But despite the work involved, Phan Thi Thuan hopes that one day this natural substance made from lotus tissue will become a major industry.

Clothing is an important part of our lives. We have different types of clothes reserved for different occasions. Cotton is usually worn casually, while silk and other finer fabrics are reserved for special occasions. The price of a garment is highly dependent on the fabric it is made of. Ever wondered if there could be fabrics so exotic we’ve probably never seen or even heard of them? Here is a list of seven more luxurious fabrics in the world; they are soft as butter and dear as diamonds:

Clothing is an important part of our lives. We have reserved different types of clothes for different occasions. Cotton is usually worn casually, while silk and other finer fabrics are reserved for special occasions. The price of a garment is highly dependent on the fabric it is made of. Ever wondered if there could be fabrics so exotic we’ve probably never seen or even heard of them? Here is a list of seven more luxurious fabrics in the world; they are soft as butter and dear as diamonds:

Burmese Lotus Flower Silk (Kyar Chi)

This is an extremely rare, soft and expensive fabric found in Myanmar. There is a legend about how this substance was found. According to legend, a girl living in a Buddhist pagoda once plucked a lotus flower to offer to a monk. However, the girl noticed a thread of fabric where the stem was cut. The girl did not give the flower to the monk, but instead wove a robe for him from these threads.

This beautiful discovery quickly spread and is now considered one of the most expensive fabrics in the world.

Shahtoosh

Shahtoosh is a fabric woven from the hair of a Tibetan antelope. The fabric is incredibly fine and soft and can only be woven by master weavers. All this makes this substance very expensive. Also, the Tibetan antelope is an endangered animal and therefore this substance is illegal in most countries.

mulberry silk

Silk is an expensive fabric and mulberry silk is the most expensive of all the other varieties. It is made from a special breed of silkworms that are fed only mulberry silk. It is very soft and needs special care.

leopard skin

Fur is considered one of the most luxurious materials in the world. Leopard skin is the most exotic of furs. Just a meter of leopard skin can cost up to 6 lakh rupees.

Animal rights activists have denounced the use of leopard skin, it is still used.

baby cashmere

Cashmere is one of the most expensive fabrics in the world. It is made from goat’s wool and is very expensive as the wool from which it is made is very rare. Another reason for the exorbitant prices is that this fabric takes a lot of time to produce. Baby Cashmere is made from the wool of Hircus baby goats. Goats can only give off a very small amount of wool there every year. Baby cashmere is much softer than regular cashmere.

pashmina

Pashmina is another fine variety of cashmere made from the undercoat of the Changthangi goat. It is most famously used for making shawls and scarves.

tappa

Tapa is a fabric made from the inner bark of paper mulberry trees. The bark is removed from the tree and then soaked in water and crushed. It is then glued together and colored with natural dyes. Tapa is used on formal occasions in Tongan culture.

Step 4: Weaving Lotus Fabric

Step 5: Dyeing Lotus Fabric, Fibers and Yarns

Properties of the lotus fiber:

It is a cellulose fiber and the finest water fiber. (Waterproof fiber) It is a cool, stiff, breathable and comfortable fiber. It has good elasticity. It is a wrinkle resistant fiber. It absorbs moisture but dries quickly. Fabrics made with this fiber have excellent properties. It does not contain any chemical or toxic products and therefore produces ecological fabrics. The manufacturing process requires no gas, gasoline, electricity or additional water. The lotus flower is a phytosanitary plant that purifies the water in which it grows and preserves the ecosystem while protecting fish and insects. The entire process takes place within the framework of sustainable development.

Disadvantages of lotus fiber:

From gathering raw materials to spinning and weaving yarns, it is all done by hand, making the process time-consuming and expensive. The lotus fabric must be woven within 24 hours to prevent the fiber from deteriorating.

Lotus Fiber Extraction in India:

Taking Lotus Fiber Global

Conclusion

Image-4: Lotus yarn preparation | Image source: www.thetextileatlas.com Fabrics are woven on traditional looms. The woven fabric is approximately 24 inches wide. When weaving, threads are often moistened with water because lotus fibers need to be kept cool. The fabric is woven in 100 yard batches and it takes about a month and a half to complete one batch. It is estimated that around 32,000 lotus stems are needed to make just 1.09 meters of fabric and 120,000 stems for one outfit, making the textile extremely exclusive. After weaving, the fabric is dyed with natural dyes and every part of the precious material is salvaged in some way. Leftover scraps of yarn are twisted into the wicks of pagoda lamps, and leftover scraps of fabric are made into sequined robes for mini Buddha statues. Image-5: Weaving of lotus fabrics | Image source: www.zenvoyage.comOnly natural dyes are used for lotus fibers. Natural dyes are made from tree bark, flower petals, leaves and fruits. Yarns are dyed in ball form in different dyebaths. After dyeing, the fabric and skeins are dried outdoors in the sunlight.Image-6: Dyeing lotus yarns | Image Source: PinterestLotus fabric is the world’s first natural microfiber and probably the most ecological fabric. The pure lotus fabric, woven in a plain weave, is recommended for jackets, one-piece suits and dresses as it is durable and soft. The airy pure lotus fabric is recommended for scarves because it is particularly breathable and light. Due to the time-consuming nature of the thread-making process, pure lotus fabric is rare and expensive, retailing for up to $400 a piece. For this reason it is often mixed with cotton or silk. In India, lotus silk fiber is extracted in certain parts of Manipur. The practice of lotus fiber extraction was popularized in the Bishnupur district of Manipur by a 27-year-old girl, Bijiyashanti Tongbram. A few kilometers from their home is Lake Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the Northeast. This lake is famous for its numerous small islands known as Phumdis and the thousands of lotus flowers that bloom in it. Since learning the technique of extracting the fiber and spinning the thread, Bijiyashanti has started her own business called “Sanajing Sana Thambal” and decided to teach this method to other women in her village. She spent months watching videos online and reading about the method of collecting, cleaning and extracting fibers from the lotus stalks. In order to start making garments at a faster pace, she thought about teaching the method to other women in her area and hiring the local community. Bijayshanti said: “In 2019, spreading the word in my village, closed seven women approached me and I taught them how to extract fibers and weave them. Then the news spread to other surrounding villages and a total of 15 women were trained. Their ages range from 22 to 50. As of January 2020 I have trained 40 people and 20 of them continue to make the thread. 7 of them work out of my living unit and the others have their wooden tables and spinning wheels to extract the fibers. I buy back the fiber from them and sew ties, scarves and also plan to make face masks. To make the garments, we use a traditional bamboo-based loom.” Bijiyashanti hopes to soon open an online shop with the products she is now starting to make and sell, and even export her products. Samatoa, an eco-friendly design and textile factory that pioneered fair trade in Cambodia, works with Cambodian women to improve their living conditions by providing them with quality training in the manufacture of the lotus fabric. They use sustainable ways and promote the natural textiles of the country. They aim to bring this stuff to a global platform. Traditionally woven in Cambodia, Lotus Fiber is relatively unknown. It is an exceptionally eco-friendly fabric. It is an emerging natural fiber and can be used in both pure and blended forms. Due to the exceptional medicinal value of lotus, it can also be used to manufacture functional clothing such as Ayurvastra. A fiber with so many beneficial properties and totally sustainable can be of great value if it becomes popular.

Mulberry silk, popularized in China thousands of years ago for its luxurious quality, comes from the Morus alba tree. Famed for its buttery soft feel and benefits for your hair, this material is used around the world for everything from silk pillowcases and bed sheets to high fashion garments.1

Mulberry silk is also known for its unique softness – its silk thread is smooth, strong and uniformly colored, making it the top choice for those seeking a luxurious sleeping experience. In this article we will examine this dreamy material and why it is one of the most desirable textiles in the world.

What is mulberry silk made of?

What is mulberry silk? Originating in China over 5,000 years ago, “sericulture” is the ancient process of spinning silk into the beautiful textile we all know and love.

But what is mulberry silk made of? Mulberry silk is made from the cocoon of the bombyx mori moth. Before metamorphosis, the caterpillar feeds exclusively on the white mulberry leaf – this is one of the reasons why this silk is known for its unsurpassed quality.

The silk fabric is then spun from long fibers that are strong and pure white, collected from the moth’s cocoon. These individual strands of fibers are then woven together to create the silk fabric used for soft silk bedding.

So why is it so expensive?

Smoother and stronger than any other silk in the world, mulberry silk is a textile powerhouse. Known for its durability and lightness, mulberry silk can hold up to a third of its weight in moisture. Because of this, it does not emit any odor when wet and does not need to stand for long to dry, making it relatively easy to handle.

Also, this silk is beautiful. Whether you’re sleeping on a mulberry silk pillowcase or wearing it to a gala, you’ll feel incredibly glamorous. If you need a little extra care, you can even try a mulberry silk sleep mask to ward off bacteria and keep your face fresh.

Mulberry silk vs regular silk

You may be wondering how mulberry differs from regular silk. Sometimes referred to as the “king of silk,” there are many reasons why mulberry silk stands out from the crowd.

Here are some factors that show the differences between mulberry silk and silk:

Uniformity – Because Bombyx mori moths only feed on white mulberry leaves, the strands produced are longer and finer. Other silk is made from shorter fibers that can create anomalies in the material.

Color – Mulberry silk is, without exception, pure white, making it a great complement to luxurious bedding that is immaculate to the touch.

Texture – Other types of silk tend to have a rougher feel, while mulberry silk is buttery soft.

Price – Due to its premium status, mulberry silk tends to be more expensive than generic types of silk.

Fragrance – One amazing property that makes mulberry silk stand out from the crowd is the fact that it is fragrance-free.

HYPOALLERGENIC AND ANTIBACTERIAL – Ideal for allergy sufferers, mulberry silk is hypoallergenic and a fantastic choice for those with sensitive skin or nose. This silk actually contains the natural protein sericin, which reduces the risk of an allergic reaction.2

Benefits of Mulberry Silk

In the age of self-care, the quality and ecological footprint of our purchases are more important than ever. Not only do people want to be comfortable with the products they buy, they also want to know where they’re coming from.

Today, the integrity of a product can help us decide whether or not to swipe our credit cards. Mulberry silk is a prime example of this and is growing in popularity for its aesthetic appeal and health, beauty and environmental benefits.

benefits for the skin

The powerful fiber strands of mulberry silk contain 18 amino acids and proteins. Our skin thrives on these nutrients, and this is one of the reasons many companies have turned to mulberry silk to make pillowcases and sleep masks.

hair benefits

Want to know the secret to frizz-free hair in the morning? Mulberry silk pillowcases.

There are many benefits of silk pillowcases and there is a good reason for that. Mulberry silk helps hair retain moisture, and when hair is better at retaining moisture, it is less prone to breakage.

There is also less friction when sleeping on silk compared to other materials, and silk sheets leave your hair shiny with fewer tangles.

sleep benefits

Ready for some serious snooze time? Sleeping on mulberry silk is compared to sleeping on fluffy clouds. Mulberry silk is soft to the touch and incredibly comfortable. Because of its temperature-regulating properties, silk is also a great option for those who get hot at night.

Whatever the weather, you’re sure to get a good night’s sleep. Also, you will feel like royalty. Who said beauty sleep wasn’t real?

environmental benefits

Mulberry Silk is an eco-friendly material that is 100% naturally produced with no molecular agents. Not only can sleeping on this natural silk improve your sleep hygiene and make you feel pampered, but you can also be proud of your eco-friendly purchase.

Because of its organic quality, mulberry silk is free from harsh and toxic additives that can sometimes cause breakouts, allergies, or even atopic dermatitis.

Made from 100% mulberry silk, our Silk Pillowcase + Sleep Mask Set allows you to experience the benefits of this luxurious fabric and transport you to dreamland.

Get cozy with Casper Silk

Falling asleep on mulberry silk is like nothing else – it envelops your body in soft, silky comfort.

There really is nothing quite like a good night’s sleep and that’s why at Casper we strive to bring you the best sheet sets on the market. Whether you’re waking up with tangled hair from your pillowcase or a sniffle from cotton allergies, we’re here to cover you in silky-smooth comfort and a bundle of quality mattresses and bedding.

Customize your bed for a luxurious, smooth and breathable sleep experience with our Mulberry Silk Pillowcase + Sleep Mask Set. You’ll sleep like a baby knowing that Casper has your back.

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Have you ever wondered why some clothes are so ridiculously expensive? Well, of course it depends on the name and the creativity of the designer, but more often than not the answer lies in the fabrics. Fine fabrics are difficult to produce, making some of them very rare and causing you to buy or desire extravagant garments that cost a fortune.

But let’s be honest here. You usually get what you pay for. The quality and comfort of these fabrics are second to none. Not to mention that they’re made by some of the most reputable fabric manufacturers in the world, so you can expect some of the highest price tags too.

Merino wool, silk, fur and linen may already be on the tip of your tongue, but there are other types of these fabrics, made from some of the rarest and finest raw materials on earth, and that makes them far more special than the ordinary fabrics we all are used to it. Curious about the world’s most luxurious fabrics? Let’s take a look.

10. Linens

Invented in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago, linen has gradually conquered the world. It is made by weaving fibers from flaxseed stalks, giving it a delicate and unique texture. You probably thought about it from the start and you were right. Linen is among the most luxurious fabrics out there, but it’s also one of the most commonly used. Nevertheless, it has a rich history, as flax is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.

9. Japanese denim

While denim is something everyone is used to, its Japanese version is something else entirely. Perfected in the land of the rising sun, Japanese denim is held in high esteem by denim fans, largely because it is more of an art form than a traditional fabric.

Behind it all is the Japan Blue Group, which also supplies brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci with their new and improved version of denim. They also make jeans, the G001-T Gold Label Momotaro jeans, which retail for around $2,000 a pair.

8. Burmese lotus flower silk

Native to Myanmar, lotus flower silk or kyar chi is an extremely rare and soft fabric that was discovered purely by chance. The story goes that a century ago, a girl plucked a lotus flower from a Buddhist pagoda to offer to the monk of the temple. But then she noticed a strand of fiber where the stem was cut off and wove it into a robe for the beloved monk.

It appears that the practice spread around the temple and Inle Lake area and continues to this day. They called it the last discovered gem of the textile fiber world. The process to create the fiber is lengthy, making kyar chi one of the most desirable fabrics in the world.

7. Mulberry Silk

Famed for its amazing softness, mulberry silk has evolved into the highest quality silk you can buy today. Made from the cocoons of the Bombyx mori moth silkworms fed only mulberry leaves, the resulting fabric has hypoallergenic properties and a texture and color that are extremely uniform.

Carefully woven and requiring special care, mulberry silk reaches a price of $100 per yard, making it one of the most desirable and expensive fabrics in the world.

6. Leopard Skin

Fur has long been a favorite of man. From the beginning of mankind until today, fur has been used as a piece of clothing, especially in the cold seasons and cold corners of the world. But there are many types of fur coats and the most exquisite is the leopard coat. Leopard print furs are among the most expensive in the world today and are widely considered the most elegant of all. A yard of leopard skin can cost $8,000.

As you may be wondering why, it is due to its rarity and overall prestige. Despite what animal rights activists may say, furs, and leopard skin in particular, are still used in clothing today and may even increase their value.

5. Cervelt

New Zealand is a far corner of the world and local people have had to adapt to being isolated and enduring the cold Antarctic winds. Their most important ally in this fight has always been the soft, thin fur of the country’s red deer population. The fiber extracted from the deer’s coat is known as cervalt, a fabric as soft as cashmere but a very rare one, as only 20 grams can be collected from a stag per year.

Used primarily by Italian specialist tailors, Cervelt is a very rare sight in garments around the world. And to get an idea of ​​its rarity and exclusivity, you should know that in 2014 Harry’s of London offered a limited edition of 100 Cervelt socks. Each pair was priced at $1,500. Pretty expensive for a pair of socks, don’t you think?

4. Baby cashmere

Cashmere has always been a favorite of many celebrities and important figures around the world. Its grandeur and price make it virtually untouchable to most other people. For centuries Kashmir has been associated with kings and queens or princes and princesses and the only difference today is that we don’t have many kings or queens in the world anymore. Despite this, cashmere has retained its reputation as one of the most luxurious fabrics in the world.

Cashmere is made from the undercoat of goats and then farmed for wool. Making cashmere takes time and patience. And then buy a lot of money.

But there are different types of cashmere. Even more exclusive is the baby cashmere made in Mongolia and Northern China from the underfleece of Hircus baby goats. Each goat can produce no more than 80 grams of this fiber, of which only 30-40 grams are usable after combing. And that only happens once in a goat’s life. The resulting fiber is extremely fine and the end product, the fabric, is 20 percent softer than regular cashmere.

A more affordable option that’s still just as beautiful would be an exquisite wool-cashmere coat mix. Perfect for staying warm and dry while looking incredibly fashionable. This beautiful blended fabric is made by the renowned Italian company Loro Piana, a world leader in high quality wool fabrics. You can check it here.

3. Shahtush

Hailing from Nepal and India, shahtoosh is a fabric woven from the downy hair of the Tibetan antelope (Chiru). Incredibly fine, the shahtoosh is considered the king of fine wool and as such is used in ultra-luxe shawls that reach prices of $5,000. The cloths are woven only by master cashmere weavers who are known to be the only ones who can handle it.

The downside is that despite continued trade, shahtoosh is considered illegal to possess and sell in most countries. The animal Chiru is an endangered species due to poachers, mining and infrastructural developments.

2. Guanaco

Guanaco is a super expensive and rare fabric made from the fur of the llama found in South America. Gathering guanaco is very time consuming as each adult llama only sheds around 2 to 3 pounds.

Because of its rarity, the guanaco has become the second most expensive commodity in the clothing industry, with garments made from it fetching amazing prices. For example, a women’s jacket can reach a price between $25,000 and $35,000. Almost untouchable.

1. Vicuña wool

Vicuña wool or “God’s Fiber” is known to be the most expensive wool in the world. It comes from the Peruvian vicuña sheep in the central Andes, which may only be shorn every three years. The hand weaving process of this fabric is also very time consuming and costly. The material can only be collected from the animal’s back and neck and was historically an exclusive preserve of the Inca royalty.

The vicuña sheep, a cousin of the llama, is an endangered species having been hunted to near extinction over the last century. Only recently has the sheep population recovered to the point where harvesting can resume, and the process is governed by strict laws. The process is lengthy as an adult sheep only produces 500 grams of wool per year.

But the end result is one of the finest, lightest and warmest fibers on the planet, and only three companies have a stranglehold on legal Vicuña wool, including legendary Italian luxury clothing company Kiton. The rarity of the material means that anything it contains is extremely expensive. So expect to pay at least $50,000 for a custom vicuña suit.

Pure Lotus fabric is the first natural microfiber.

It is also probably the most ecological fabric in the world and the world’s first known natural microfiber. That is why it has remarkable properties. Above all, it is amazingly resilient, soft, light, wrinkle-resistant.

Woven in a plain weave, the pure lotus fabric is recommended for jackets and dresses because it is durable and soft.

The airy pure lotus fabric is recommended for scarves because it is particularly breathable and light.

If you want to place an order, please contact us directly.

Silk is a luxury fabric in the fashion world. It is considered one of the best fibers in the world. It is made from natural cocoon protein fibers spun by silkworms before they become moths.

Silk is very expensive due to its limited availability and complex production. It takes more than 5,000 silkworms to produce just one kilogram of silk. The management, killing, and harvesting of thousands of silkworm cocoons are resource-intensive, labor-intensive, and costly processes.

The silk fiber is a versatile and smooth product of animal origin. Clothing designers and brands in the textile and apparel industry use silk to create lingerie, loungewear, nightwear, blouses, suits, dresses and shirts.

Panaprium prides itself on being 100% independent, unaffiliated and unsponsored. We carefully select products from brands we trust. Thank you for purchasing through our link as we may earn a commission to support us.

What makes silk expensive

Like linen, silk is one of the most expensive fabrics in the world. It is often chosen for a variety of clothes and accessories in new collections.

Only 168,300 tons of raw silk are produced annually worldwide. China is the largest silk producer with 126,000 tons in 2014, followed by India (23,700 tons) and Vietnam (6,800 tons).

In nature, like many other moths, silkworms go through the same stages of metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. In the silk industry, however, they never get past the pupal stage. Instead, they are killed by soaking in boiling water to preserve the value, thread length, and quality of the cocoons.

Silk farmers feed mulberry leaves to caterpillars to produce cocoons over several weeks. Cocooning begins as early as 28 days after the silkworm eggs hatch, which usually takes between one and two weeks.

The production of silk fabrics is slow. It requires various manufacturing processes such as growing thousands of cocoons, spinning fibers, weaving fabrics, bleaching, dyeing, and treating. That is why silk prices are high.

Silk is cruel

As a fiber for making clothing, silk has many qualities. It is soft, strong, breathable, durable and very resistant. But it is about the exploitation and killing of sensitive animals, the silkworms.

Many different insects make cocoons that are used to make silk. Usually, humans raise larval cocoons of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori to make silk.

Other animals like cicadas, flies, ants, wasps, bees, beetles and spiders suffer and die to make silk fabrics regularly. Hundreds of thousands of silkworms are killed every year.

There is a lot of cruelty in the fashion industry. And silk production is no different. It is not vegan fabric. The fashion industry kills billions of animals every year to produce wool, fur, leather, silk and down.

Just like in history, silk production is so exploitative and cruel today. All animals deserve compassionate treatment, even insects.

Cruelty-free fashion brands don’t use silk in their new collections. They use some of the many vegan alternatives to silk.

What’s wrong with silk

Commercial animal husbandry and mass killing of animals is not only unethical but also disastrous for the environment. The vast majority of silk textiles are made with very low social and environmental standards.

Mulberry plants are grown with toxic pesticides and fertilizers. And silk production involves a high level of chemicals. They are very dangerous and are released into the surrounding area if left untreated. They pollute the air, soil, water sources and endanger ecosystems and human health.

Silk is very expensive as it requires a lot of manual labor to make it. The silk industry employs millions of workers in the poorest East Asian countries. Many fashion brands and retailers use sweatshop labor for apparel production.

Silk making also involves inhumane practices. Children work more than 12 hours seven days a week in the silk industry.

silk alternatives

There are many viable alternatives to silk that are also cruelty-free, ethical, and environmentally friendly.

The best sustainable fabrics for clothing are made from either natural organic fibres, synthetic recycled fibers and regenerated cellulose fibres.

For more information on eco-friendly materials, read my list of the 10 most eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics.

Natural and organic substances are materials of plant origin. Cotton is the most commonly used, but generally requires a lot of water, fertilizer, and pesticides to grow. Give preference to fibers from organic farming with a low environmental impact.

Synthetic fibers are usually dependent on the oil industry. They are made from petroleum based chemicals or petrochemical products. Choose recycled polyester or nylon, which are less harmful to the environment. Check out my list of the many sustainable synthetic fabrics.

Artificial cellulose fibers from renewable raw materials. These include lyocell, viscose, acetate, modal and cupro. Their production is resource-intensive and uses a lot of chemicals, water and energy. Fortunately, closed production processes can recover and reuse almost all of the water and chemicals.

When purchasing sustainable materials, it is important to look for third-party certifications that validate content and quality. Read my article on the best textile certification standards to learn more.

As an alternative to expensive silk, you also have the option of buying second-hand fashion. It’s a great way to be more sustainable with clothing. It reduces pollution and waste by reducing the demand for new clothing production.

I hope this has been helpful to better understand the implications of fashion made from silk. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Was this article helpful to you? Please let us know what you liked or disliked in the comments below.

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What is the difference between cheap silk and expensive silk?

Why are there such big price differences between silk shops?

Browse our silk collection

Silk is an expensive fabric. With several factors affecting the price such as manufacturing difficulties, handling issues and controls on suppliers’ output.

You can find a 100% silk shirt for $49 at Uniqlo and go to Equipment to see their 100% silk shirt is $200!

To see why there are such big price differences, we looked at the differences between cheap and expensive silk. Read about the silk we use for our pieces here.

Here are the factors that affect the quality of silk.

1. Raw material

Just like cashmere, there are many different types of silk, and the price can vary from $8 to $80 per yard. The price differences depend on the silk farms and how they manage their silk supplies. Organic silk tends to be more expensive as the price for sustainable farming can be higher.

2. Shine

The shine of the expensive silk is created by the combination of threads of different individual colors in the weft and the cover. These make the surface shiny and appear to change color as the light changes. Expose your silk shirt to the light and see how it differs from other silk products.

3. Exit

A more expensive silk goes through a special treatment before it can be used. Sand washing is one of the natural washing processes for garments – it makes the fabric more wrinkle resistant and provides a better hand feel. You can immediately see the difference after sand washing with the increase in shine and color!

4. Dyeing process

More expensive dyes fade less and last longer, affecting the price of the silk. You want a silk shirt with organic dyes that won’t wash out after every wash.

5. The weight

The silk momme (a measure of the weight of silk fabrics) reflects price and quality. Higher momme weights correspond to higher quality silk.

This website will help you determine your silk momme weight: Fabrics Net

Sometimes brands use fabrics mixed with polyester. This allows them to lower prices because they use less silk. However, polyester is a rough fabric and diminishes the soft, natural feel of silk, not to mention it’s an environmentally unfriendly material! Make sure you buy 100% silk to get the true quality and feel you deserve.

At SiiZU, we source our silk from premium suppliers who work with world-leading labels such as D&G, Max Mara, Alexander Wang and MARINA RINALDI.

Request your free silk fabric sample

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Silk is a luxury fabric in the fashion world. It is considered one of the best fibers in the world. It is made from natural cocoon protein fibers spun by silkworms before they become moths.

Silk is very expensive due to its limited availability and complex production. It takes more than 5,000 silkworms to produce just one kilogram of silk. The management, killing, and harvesting of thousands of silkworm cocoons are resource-intensive, labor-intensive, and costly processes.

The silk fiber is a versatile and smooth product of animal origin. Clothing designers and brands in the textile and apparel industry use silk to create lingerie, loungewear, nightwear, blouses, suits, dresses and shirts.

Panaprium prides itself on being 100% independent, unaffiliated and unsponsored. We carefully select products from brands we trust. Thank you for purchasing through our link as we may earn a commission to support us.

What makes silk expensive

Like linen, silk is one of the most expensive fabrics in the world. It is often chosen for a variety of clothes and accessories in new collections.

Only 168,300 tons of raw silk are produced annually worldwide. China is the largest silk producer with 126,000 tons in 2014, followed by India (23,700 tons) and Vietnam (6,800 tons).

In nature, like many other moths, silkworms go through the same stages of metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. In the silk industry, however, they never get past the pupal stage. Instead, they are killed by soaking in boiling water to preserve the value, thread length, and quality of the cocoons.

Silk farmers feed mulberry leaves to caterpillars to produce cocoons over several weeks. Cocooning begins as early as 28 days after the silkworm eggs hatch, which usually takes between one and two weeks.

The production of silk fabrics is slow. It requires various manufacturing processes such as growing thousands of cocoons, spinning fibers, weaving fabrics, bleaching, dyeing, and treating. That is why silk prices are high.

Silk is cruel

As a fiber for making clothing, silk has many qualities. It is soft, strong, breathable, durable and very resistant. But it is about the exploitation and killing of sensitive animals, the silkworms.

Many different insects make cocoons that are used to make silk. Usually, humans raise larval cocoons of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori to make silk.

Other animals like cicadas, flies, ants, wasps, bees, beetles and spiders suffer and die to make silk fabrics regularly. Hundreds of thousands of silkworms are killed every year.

There is a lot of cruelty in the fashion industry. And silk production is no different. It is not vegan fabric. The fashion industry kills billions of animals every year to produce wool, fur, leather, silk and down.

Just like in history, silk production is so exploitative and cruel today. All animals deserve compassionate treatment, even insects.

Cruelty-free fashion brands don’t use silk in their new collections. They use some of the many vegan alternatives to silk.

What’s wrong with silk

Commercial animal husbandry and mass killing of animals is not only unethical but also disastrous for the environment. The vast majority of silk textiles are made with very low social and environmental standards.

Mulberry plants are grown with toxic pesticides and fertilizers. And silk production involves a high level of chemicals. They are very dangerous and are released into the surrounding area if left untreated. They pollute the air, soil, water sources and endanger ecosystems and human health.

Silk is very expensive as it requires a lot of manual labor to make it. The silk industry employs millions of workers in the poorest East Asian countries. Many fashion brands and retailers use sweatshop labor for apparel production.

Silk making also involves inhumane practices. Children work more than 12 hours seven days a week in the silk industry.

silk alternatives

There are many viable alternatives to silk that are also cruelty-free, ethical, and environmentally friendly.

The best sustainable fabrics for clothing are made from either natural organic fibres, synthetic recycled fibers and regenerated cellulose fibres.

For more information on eco-friendly materials, read my list of the 10 most eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics.

Natural and organic substances are materials of plant origin. Cotton is the most commonly used, but generally requires a lot of water, fertilizer, and pesticides to grow. Give preference to fibers from organic farming with a low environmental impact.

Synthetic fibers are usually dependent on the oil industry. They are made from petroleum based chemicals or petrochemical products. Choose recycled polyester or nylon, which are less harmful to the environment. Check out my list of the many sustainable synthetic fabrics.

Artificial cellulose fibers from renewable raw materials. These include lyocell, viscose, acetate, modal and cupro. Their production is resource-intensive and uses a lot of chemicals, water and energy. Fortunately, closed production processes can recover and reuse almost all of the water and chemicals.

When purchasing sustainable materials, it is important to look for third-party certifications that validate content and quality. Read my article on the best textile certification standards to learn more.

As an alternative to expensive silk, you also have the option of buying second-hand fashion. It’s a great way to be more sustainable with clothing. It reduces pollution and waste by reducing the demand for new clothing production.

I hope this has been helpful to better understand the implications of fashion made from silk. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Was this article helpful to you? Please let us know what you liked or disliked in the comments below.

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Linen and silk are among the most expensive fabrics in the world, used to make truly luxurious and exceptional clothing, bedding, upholstery and many other household textiles. What is more expensive?

Silk is arguably more expensive than linen, and the most prized fabric is mulberry silk, a soft and delicate textile used in high-end fashion that requires silk farmers to feed mulberry leaves to caterpillars to create cocoons over several weeks.

Mulberry silk is very expensive due to its complex production and very consistent quality. It takes more than 5,000 silkworms to produce just one kilogram of mulberry silk.

On the other hand, linen is a woven fabric made from natural flax plant fibers and is known to be luxurious, exceptionally cool and breathable. Linen fabric is also expensive because it is difficult to manufacture and has low availability.

Here’s everything you need to know about silk and linen, some of the world’s most expensive fabrics.

Panaprium prides itself on being 100% independent, unaffiliated and unsponsored. We carefully select products from brands we trust. Thank you for purchasing through our link as we may earn a commission to support us.

Why is linen expensive

Linen is the most expensive, organic, sustainable, plant-based fabric in the world. It is a woven fabric made from a renewable plant resource, natural flax plant fibers. Its production requires a lot of time and labor.

Linen fabrics sell for a higher price than other natural fabrics such as cotton or jute because they are expensive to produce and demand for linen remains relatively low.

Linen fabric costs twice as much as cotton to produce. Flax plants can take up to 90 days to be harvested annually as they cannot be mowed and must be pulled up by the roots.

Its production requires the growth and harvesting of flax plants. The final quality of linen depends heavily on the raw material.

Flax plants grow in many different countries around the world. Natural fibers are extracted from the plant, spun into yarn, and then woven into fabrics.

More than 85% of the flax fibers produced worldwide come from Europe. And flax remains a rare product, accounting for less than 1% of all textile fibers consumed worldwide.

In order to weave flax fibers into linen fabric, the machine has to run fairly slowly as the fibers break easily.

Linen is a sustainable fabric that offers numerous qualities. It is a natural fabric that is beautiful, durable, comfortable, resilient, absorbent, antibacterial, lightweight, breathable and quick drying.

Linen is also very strong and stiff, about two to three times more than cotton. Linen fabrics are widely used in household items such as cushions, curtains, tablecloths, bath towels, bed sheets, carpets and wall coverings.

Linen is a very old fabric that has been used for a very long time (over 6,000 years). It was used in ancient Egypt to wrap mummies to aid in preservation.

In history, linen cloth symbolized extravagance, luxury and preciousness. Linen fabrics were used at dining tables in medieval times as a symbol of power to show wealth and authority.

Why is silk expensive

Silk is expensive because it takes thousands of silkworms to produce just one kilogram of silk. The management, killing, and harvesting of silkworm cocoons are resource-intensive, labor-intensive, and costly processes.

Silk is a luxury fabric and is considered one of the finest textiles in the world. It is made from natural cocoon protein fibers spun by silkworms before they become moths.

In nature, like many other moths, silkworms go through the same stages of metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

In the silk industry, however, they never get past the pupal stage. Instead, they are killed by placing them in boiling water to preserve the value, thread length, and quality of the cocoons.

Silk farmers feed mulberry leaves to caterpillars to produce cocoons over several weeks. Cocooning begins as early as 28 days after the silkworm eggs hatch, which generally takes between one and two weeks.

The production of silk fabrics is slow. It requires various manufacturing processes such as growing thousands of cocoons, spinning fibers, weaving fabrics, bleaching, dyeing, and treating.

There are many different types of silk, depending on the species of animal, the diet of the insects and the country of origin. But mulberry silk is the finest and accounts for about 90% of silk production.

Compared to mulberry silk, many types of silk are inferior, hard, not durable and some are even collected from the wild. Mulberry silk is considered the highest quality and most sought after silk.

People buy silk because they want a comfortable and luxurious experience. So, quality is most important when it comes to silk products. Silk is a versatile and smooth fabric of animal origin.

High-end clothing designers and fashion brands often use high-quality mulberry silk to create luxury lingerie, loungewear, nightwear, blouses, suits, dresses, shirts and more.

Linen vs Silk

Linen is one of the most expensive and sustainable fabrics in the world. It is far more ethical and environmentally friendly than other natural, plant-based fibers such as cotton and animal-derived textiles such as silk or cashmere.

Linen is used in many high quality garments as it offers amazing properties such as breathability, durability, softness, freshness and lightness.

Linen is made from flax fibers, which require very little water to grow. The production of a linen shirt requires 6.4 liters of water compared to 26 liters for a cotton shirt.

On the other hand, silk production is responsible for the mass exploitation and killing of sensitive animals, the silkworms. Hundreds of thousands of silkworms have to die every year to make silk textiles.

It takes more than 5,000 silkworms to produce just one kilogram of silk. It takes up to 2,000 cocoons to make a silk dress.

Silk production today is just as exploitative and cruel as it was centuries ago. Many silkworm young die prematurely from dehydration or starvation. All animals deserve compassionate treatment, even insects.

Throwing silkworms and their cocoons into boiling water potentially causes them to suffer and kill them.

Collecting cocoons left by insects in the wild might be a more ethical way of producing silk. However, this method is inefficient, expensive and impractical for commercial use.

Commercial animal husbandry and mass killing of animals is not only unethical but also disastrous for the environment. The vast majority of silk textiles are made with very low social and environmental standards.

Mulberry plants are grown with toxic pesticides and fertilizers. And silk production involves a high level of chemicals. They are very dangerous and are released into the surrounding area if left untreated. They pollute the air, soil, water sources and endanger ecosystems and human health.

Silk is very expensive as it requires a lot of manual labor to make it. The silk industry employs millions of workers in the poorest East Asian countries, sometimes under inhumane practices.

Many manufacturers use sweatshop workers to produce clothing. And children regularly work more than 12 hours a day, seven days a week in the silk industry.

Was this article helpful to you? Please let us know what you liked or disliked in the comments below.

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