About Silk and Satin
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Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx Mori reared in captivity. The shiny appearance for which silk is prized comes from the fibres’ triangular prism-like structure which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles.
Wild silks are produced by caterpillars other than the mulberry silkworm, which cannot be artificially cultivated. A variety of wild silks have been known and used in China, South Asia, and Europe since early times, but the scale of production was always far smaller than that of cultivated silks. They differ from the domesticated varieties in colour and texture, and cocoons gathered in the wild usually have been damaged by the emerging moth before the cocoons are gathered, so the single silk thread that makes up the cocoon has been torn into shorter lengths. Commercially reared silkworm pupae are killed by dipping them in boiling water before the adult moths emerge, or by piercing them with a needle, allowing the whole cocoon to be unravelled as one continuous thread. This permits a much stronger cloth to be woven from the silk. Wild silks also tend to be more difficult to dye than silk from the cultivated silkworm.
Satin is a cloth that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibers such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is termed a “satin”. If the yarns used are short-staple yarns such as cotton, the fabric formed is considered a sateen.
Satin is commonly used in apparel: athletic shorts, lingerie, nightgowns, and evening gowns, as well as interior furnishing fabrics, upholstery, and bed sheets. It is also used in the production of pointe shoes for use in ballet.
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Courtesy of Only Tease 