Story of Silk

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, PROPERTIES
The inherent properties of silk and its mystique have made it the queen of fabrics, and it has been the preferred choice of textile in all of the royal courts over the centuries. The properties of silk are so unique that the feel and touch of silk can only be described as silky or silken!!

SOME OF THE NATURAL PROPERTIES OF SILK WHICH HAVE MADE IT THE FABRIC OF CHOICE INCLUDE:
Silk fibres have a triangular cross section with rounded corners. This allows light to hit at many different angles, so silk is a bright fiber and has a natural lustre and sheen
Silk has a natural affinity for vibrant coloured dyes due to its high level of penetrability for direct dye stuffs and acids as compared to other natural fibres such as cotton or linen
Silk has a smooth, soft texture that is not slippery, unlike many synthetic fibers giving it a unique and pleasant hand.
Silk is light weight and so can be comfortable to wear as well as giving it a beautiful drape.
Silk is one of the strongest natural fibres compared to other fibres of the same diameter at 4.5 grams per denier when dry and 2.8 to 4.0 grams per denier when wet.
Silk can be stretched by 1/5—1/7 of its original length before breaking. Because of this property, garments made of silk keep their shape and do not wrinkle badly. When silk is dry the elongation (elastic recovery) varies from 10-25% and when wet it will elongate as much as 33-35%.
Silk has the capacity to absorb moisture while remaining dry. Silk has a relatively high standard moisture regain of 11%. At saturation the regain is 25-35%.
Silk garments have poor heat conductivity, so it acts as a good insulator keeping the body warm in cold weather and cool during hot weather.
Silk has the ability to breathe and to absorb oil from the skin. However, it sheds dirt easily and readily, making it a very sanitary textile.
Silk can be woven or knitted