The cool luxurious feel of certain fabrics against your skin is something that cannot be replicated. It is very soft and smooth and simply caresses your skin.

Silk has long been a staple and exotic fabric and a symbol of pure luxury.

For thousands of years only the elite were able to afford this rare commodity. It may have been harvested by simple farmers but it wasn’t worn by them and it had a tremendous impact on the trading world.

As precious as gold and spices were, the demand for silk was even more. This creation of nature is still sought after today. Yes, the availability has increased and more people are able to wear it but pure silk is something that is still a valuable commodity.

This article will let you know about silk’s unique history and how it helped shape the world of fashion today. You may just find out something that you did not know.

When was silk first discovered?

Silks were discovered between 6000 and 3000 BC by the Chinese. The empress Xi Ling-Shi was the first to develop the silks into fabrics. But the rarity of silks meant that only the royalty had access to this precious fabric. Gradually through gifts and trade the silks made their way to various other parts of Asia.

From Asia it was a simple matter of traders taking the silk fabric with them throughout the rest of the known world. For many centuries the Emperors of China hoarded the secret of cultivating the silkmoths in captivity. There is countless recordings or digs in which silks were discovered from around the world.

What types of clothing can be made from silk?

Any type of clothing can be made from silks. The key is not using just one strand though. Spinners have to combine several strands of silk in order to make a tough enough fiber to withstand the weaving process. Fabrics that are made from very thin silks can easily tear or rip apart.

But to answer the question, you can find silken fabrics to make anything from. If you want a pair of socks…there are certainly manufacturers out there that can provide you with them.

It is more common to find silks being woven into typical clothing items such as dresses, pants or shirts. The smooth quality of the fabric combined with its luster gives it a great appeal to virtually everyone.

Who was the first person to mass produce silk?

There really is not one single person who is written down in history as the first to mass produce silks. History does credit the Chinese for holding the majority of the market even up to this day.

True mass production of silks did not come until the Industrial Revolution. Thanks to new weaving methods and machinery, more silken fabric could be produced. The Jacquard loom helped make silk embroidery easier and less expensive.

How does silk come in so many colors?

Silks are just like any other fibre that is woven. It can be dyed to any color that the manufacturer wants. There is a process though. First the fabric must be bleached to remove the natural yellow tint that comes from the raw silks. After it has been bleached out, dyes can be added in to reach the desired shade for the finished product.

Quality silks will be dyed in a way so that you do not have to worry about bleeding or color run-off. In the past when the dying process was done by hand, the colors were fairly limited with what could be dyed naturally. With today’s chemicals and varying shades of hues, a silken fabric can be transformed into a multitude of colors.

By: Michael Selvon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mike Selvon portal offers free articles on silk. Find out more about silk, and leave a comment at the discount silk blog.

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I like cotton sheets but silk comes out the winner any time

How silk bedding is better than cotton.

Benefits and advantages of using silk bedding

Silk has been around for centuries and has been the preferred choice of fabric by Emperors and kings due to its luxurious look and feel. It has always been and continues to be associated with wealth.

Over time with modern technology silk has become a fabric of choice as there are low maintenance and easy to care silks available in the market. Silk clothing as well as silk bedding are slowly gaining popularity.

Silk bedding is the fabric of choice for many reasons. Not only is it practical now but the luxurious and elegance it adds to a bedroom can’t be beat with cotton or other fabrics. The texture, feel and look of silk brings class and opulence to the bedroom. It not only looks great but silk sleepwear feels great as well.

There are 2 types of silk – made from natural or cultivated worms. Cultivated silk is more expensive than wild silk and is also finer, smoother, rounder, more uniform in shape, size and color, and has longer thread filament. This costs 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.

Benefits of 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 is the perfect choice for people with allergies and asthma. 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 adjusting fabric ideal for year round. Silks absorb moisture and oil form the body and easily shed the dirt thus making it a sanitary textile.

– Durable- strong and resilient and lasts for a long time. The natural silk fiber is superior to any animal or plant fiber despite its very delicate appearance. 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 dust mites, mold and mildew.

– Luxurious and sensuous 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

There are also great travel sheets available which one can use and take with while traveling so you can have that great silk experience wherever you may be. These are called silk sacks. Make the investment of silk and feel the difference in your life. Next time you sleep make sure it is in an all silk bedding- float in a cloud of silk.

Rashmi is the owner of silkbedingandmore, the silk bedding store which carries all kinds of silk bedding and all that is needed for the bedroom.

Your resource for great silk bedding
silk bedding online store                       By rashmi patel

Pamper Yourself While You Dream With Silk Sleep

Many of Silk Sleep’s customers are drawn to the hypoallergenic benefits of the collection; asthma or allergy sufferers will immediately notice the improvements, when changing to silk bedding and dust mites are less attracted

Bring the luxury of silkwith you during your travels

Bring the luxurious feel of silk bedding even when you travel. Buy one of our washable and affordable silk sacks that will let you bring the comforts of home while you travel. The silk sacks are great for both home use and travel.

Silk Bedding is really worth the money?

Why is the silk of silkworms, the material has a number of substances found in nature. Even if it is the cocoon of silk, these substances are not completely lost. Thus, fungi, mold and dust mites do not attack silk bedding.

Technorati Tags: bedding, clothing, fabric, mulberry, satin, sheets, silk, silk sleep sacks, silks, sleepware, spun, wild

Silk is a wonderful and fascinating material and it has many different uses

Over the last thirty years, the production of silk has nearly doubled with China taking the lead. This is because the world continues to consume countless silk products. Silk is in such high demand for its elasticity, strong fibers and the beautiful sheen that it makes when woven together.

Silk continues to be used as a material to produce fine dresses. Chinese women continue to have their wedding cheongsam dresses made out of silk. They choose this material because it is one of the finest materials known in ancient Chinese culture.

Delicately woven dragons, flowers and butterflies are sewn into the silk dresses.

The material is thick so it allows a women to look leaner and have cleaner lines. Additionally, the shininess of the material is very flattering and alluring. Women’s evening gowns are also made of silk. It also falls well and is a material that is slightly warmer allowing the women’s body to feel a bit of warmth, in winter silks, even as she wears a sleeveless gown in the winter.

Silk shirts remain popular amongst women. Especially for women’s blouses, silk is a great material. It is seen as more classic and flattering since it drapes a woman’s body. Additionally, the thinness of the material allows women to easily tuck the shirt into their skirts or wear a jacket on top without having the jacket look bulky. For men, silk shirts are becoming more and more popular. Men have started wearing silk short sleeve shirts as well as long sleeve shirts. Men used to only wear silk shirts for the evening, but the lightness of the material has made it a popular alternative to cotton.

Silk is also used very frequently for pajamas. Silk pajamas feel soft and smooth and very comfortable while sleeping. Both men’s and women’s pajamas are now made of this fine thread. For women, silk is often used to make lingerie as well. Using this fine thread has become a great option since it is smooth, tends not to catch on your hair, and is very breathable for the body.

Silk scarves have also been around for a long time. The number of gorgeous patterns and designs on the scarves has made these items very expensive. Women tend to tie the scarf around their necks for warmth and for style. Men tend to carry one in their pocket as an alternative to the cotton handkerchief. Be prepared to pay more for a silk scarf with a fancy design.

More and more, manufacturers of bedding have started to make silk sheets and silk pillowcases. The health benefits of silk are starting to be more widely known. Sleeping on them helps prevent coughing and sneezing, especially for those allergic to dust mites which do not like silk. Additionally, sleeping on silk sheets is sometimes beneficial to women’s hair, helping it to have less tangles and less split ends. Beyond the solid color sheets, many makers of luxurious bedding are now offering their own version of sheets with lots of different patterns and designs in stores.

Silk has come a long way since the Silk Road. It is still a highly sought after material. Having pieces of fine clothing or a scarf or even a silk sheet silk sheet is often seen as the ultimate extravagance.

Author Jenny Wells is a personal shopper and decorator for women in Los Angeles and Miami. She has found that having silk sheets in your bedroom can really enhance and beautify the room.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Wells

Historical Tapestry: Silk by Alessandro Baricco

I am not sure if I have ever read a book about the silk industry before, so it was a refreshing change. Even the geography is something that I have only touched on over the years.

Silk Paper in the Woods

Thanks to the silk papermakers, this week at the Folk School, campers were treated to colorful bits of paper, drying in the breeze, as they travelled down the path to the dining hall each day. Bold oranges, natural yellows

How silk yarn is made

How silk yarn is made General Discussion.  That’s how Silk yarn is made. Source: Fars News Agency Photographer: Faramaz Bordbar. rashidr is offline, Share on Facebook. rashidr. 

Technorati Tags: blouses, dresses, fabric, fiber, fibre, lingerie, material, pajamas, products, scarves, sheer, shirts, short, silk, silks, underwear, winter, women

Silk fibre scarves for the winter include luxury pashmina fibers.

When people are talking about winter scarves, the warmth is probably the only function they can imagine. However, a new developed silk scarf also brings skincare and fashion to you in the winter. After reading this, you will understand how this magic silk scarf works for your skincare and fashion.

New Winter Fashion Silk Scarves

The reason for the word ‘New’ is that the silk fabric itself of this scarf has been developed just recently. This new technology changes the appearance and the feel of the silk fabric. The common image of the silk is sheer, shiny, smooth, and silky. Now the big change is that the silk fabric has cashmere or wool appearance and cashmere-like feel and softness. The technical term for this process is napping which is a finishing process and raised the surface fibers of a fabric by means of passage over rapidly revolving cylinders covered with metal points or teasel burrs.

This raised surface totally changes the appearance of the silk. Combined with designer selected woven patterns, those new scarves really bring a fresh wind to our fashion accessory world this winter. In addition, the hand plaited fringe adds more charm to your dress.

How Skincare works

People who have a dry skin usually do not like winter because the dry winter makes the skin even worse. Besides the cosmetics, lotion, what else can we do? Yes. The winter 100% silk scarves are your smart choice. You can see the difference the silk brings to you. First, silk is the most hypoallergenic of all fabrics because it is a natural protein and contains 18 amino acids. Second, silk is both highly absorbent and easily discharging humidity. So it can keep your skin moisture and absorb extra humid while letting your skin breathe. The silk smooth feel makes it the lowest abrasion of all fabrics. Now enjoy your moisture and resilient skin with those luxuriously soft but affordable silk scarves.

What those scarves bring to the fashion world

Silk takes color very well and is easy to work with in weaving so the new silk fabric can bring a huge selection of patterns and color combination. No matter women or men, young kids to senior, people can always find their choices. Also the finely hand plaited fringe is definitely an added value for your dress. Moreover, the special silk feature of draping well dispenss with unnecessary thick like wool makes you much less bulky in the winter.

By: jeffapply

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com   www.TieToSuccess.com provides a huge selection of high quality silk ties. Also, napped silk scarves, shawls and other fashion scarves are great gift ideas for any events.

Louis Vuitton Black “Plan” Silk Scarf

The scarf was featured on the autumn winter 2008 show. the blue suede jacket is absolutely stunning, but i feel it’s the scarf that brought it to life. i love quirky details like maps, floor plans, sketches etc 

Already Pretty  One Winter Piece

Like you, I also have a “category” – scarves. I own a vast collection of knit, cashmere, pashmina, cotton jersey, velvet, silk – all prints and styles. Once fall hits, I wear a scarf nearly every day. Not a fan of a cold neck yet.

Scarves and Shawls – Beautiful Silk Scarves and Pashmina Shawls

Why don’t you try scouting for a fur winter scarves and winter hats instead? Scarves have been known to be one of the most versatile fashion accessories since fashion came into being.

Winter Skincare with New Fashion Silk Scarves

People who have a dry skin usually do not like winter because the dry winter makes the skin even worse. Besides the cosmetics, lotion, what else can we do? Yes. The winter 100% silk scarves are your smart choice.

Technorati Tags: cashmere, fabric, fibre, pashmina, scarf, scarves, shawl, sheer, shiny, silk, silks, smooth, winter

From bedspreads to artistic wall decors, quilts can now be seen in many different forms. Although used for various purposes, all quilt types are associated with a single idea; luxury. It is interesting to note how quilting has evolved over the centuries, starting off as a sewing technique employed to meet basic needs, like weather protection and ending up as a prestigious art associated with fine living.

Now, quilt-making is already an art that requires all the right elements to attain perfection. Among these elements is the fabric used. Out of all the fabric types used, the material silk is most popular because of its quality. Cotton fabric and polyester fabric choices are also commonly used.

Silk fabric is a popular material for quilts, primarily because of its high value. It has always been known for its fine quality, and its quilts are now among the luxuries enjoyed by people with a good taste for art and those who love fine living. In fact, other than quilts, there are also other silk luxuries that people can enjoy.

Among the most common are silk scarves and ties. Where does the prestige of it come from? Why is it preferred by many? The first thing that distinguishes it from other fabrics is its quality. Silk fibers are extremely strong. Therefore, the products they make are truly durable.

Another thing that makes it stand out is the fact that it is flowing. Regardless of its durability, its fabrics can be gathered and styled in different ways. Both these characteristics place it a notch higher than the others.

Depending on the kind of quilt that needs to be produced, there are different types of silk fabric available for quilting, each with its own unique characteristics. Those who prioritize elegance will surely love silk satin.

And for those who need soft, thin, light and strong quilts, the silk chiffon is perfect. There are still a lot more to choose from, and the right silk fabric will surely make the end product perfect.

The production of quilts has grown to be a popular type of needlework. Other than the satisfaction it gives once the end product is finished, the process itself brings a lot of joy to many lives. In fact, more people are now into this needlework with their own preference in fabric and thread.

Some prefer the softness of a cotton fabric, others the flexibility of a polyester fabric, while many prefer silk because of its elegance and strength. With so many choices, quilting is bound to live on for a long time.

By: Michael Selvon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mike Selvon portal offers free articles on silk. Find out more about quilting, and leave a comment at the discount silk blog.

Silk fibre for all things silk including quilted pants in silk for men, bedding quiklts and more …

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Quilt Art For Sale Silk Is The Most Popular Fabric Used For Quilting. From bedspreads to artistic wall decors, quilts can now be seen in many different forms.

Quilt Obsessions: Silk purse
Susie: Obsessed quilter who strives to sew everyday. My three children are grown and my husband doesn’t mind a messy house and quick meals. I am a graphic artist for a magazine publisher in Washington, DC.

More playtime – this time with a base of silk cocoons
Crafty Quilting with Pamela. Joy comes from exploring design elements and different mediums to incorporate these into textiles, quilts, and other craft. Sharing ideas with others adds to the delight

My first journal quilt
I just finished my first journal quilt for the Aus/NZ Art Quilters group. The proposed theme for January 2009 was Heat – of course you’re free to use your own themes, but I thought this one was very appropriate.

Hand Quilting: Severe Fighting – Civil War Diary Quilt Block

Violette Severin: I am an avid quilter and reader. I have been quilting for over 20 years, having started in the mid-1980s with a queen size sampler quilt.

Technorati Tags: embroidery, fiber, fibers, fibres, metal, online fibre, quilting, scarves, silk, silks, thread

If you like to sew, then you know just how fussy silk fabric can be. The edges have this tendency to fray and pull, and the fabric will literally crumble at your fingertips if you are not careful. However, the upside to fabric that is made from silk is the luxurious feel that you get when you touch it. Like you imagine wrapping yourself in it over and over until you are all covered. Silk feels good on your skin, it feels great between your fingers, and it is a fabric that many people love to use and wear. There are many different kinds of silks, how do you know which one to choose for what?

When you are investigating silk fabric to find the best one to use for the purpose you need it, you are more than likely going to run into dupioni. You will find that dupioni silk is the best of all silks, it feels the best between your fingers, and on your skin when you are wearing it. This silk is the most expensive that there is, and you will find that there is none more luxurious anywhere.

Chiffon silk fabric is another one that you are likely to come across. While this type of silk fabric is elegant is gorgeous, you will find that it is also affordable. More so than the dupioni. This is good news if you are looking into getting into a huge project with silk, and the kind that you are to use for the project is up to you. You will find when using chiffon for your projects what ever it is, that it is the easiest to work with, and you will have no problems getting this fabric to cooperate.

If you are looking for silk fabric to go into a crazy quilt, you will find that any kind will do. In this kind of quilt any kind of fabric goes, silk or not. It is always great to add a touch of silk to this type of quilt. However, it is mandatory to do so. You will find that the silk in a crazy quilt will pull out the softer side, and you will love the end results as will the person that you are making the quilt for.

Silk fabric has many different uses. You can use it for whatever you want to. You can be creative and put it in a quilt, make drapes, make clothing, or just drape the fabric over a curtain rod without ever sewing a stitch into it. There are so many things that you can do with this fabric that you will have no problems using it all up. Use your imagination and have fun with it. You will love the end result

by Charlena Stadelman – ArticleCity.com

Technorati Tags: briefs, dresses, dupioni, fabric, faux, pajamas, sewing, shirt, silk, silks, winter, with