How is Mulberry Silk produced?

by silksa-admin | Silk | 0 comments

The ancient Chinese methods of silk production are still prevalent today and even though there have been some advances, it is delicately and carefully handled throughout the whole process.

Step 1: Sericulture

This describes the process of gathering the silkworms and harvesting the cocoon. It is here that Silk moths lay 300-500 eggs that hatch into silkworms. The silkworms eat pure Mulberry leaves for 6 weeks and it is then that they begin to spin their cocoon. They do this by spinning silk threads 300 000 times into a figure 8. Each silkworm produces 1 single silk strand which measures about 100m long and held together by a natural gum called sericin. This holds the silk thread together.

Step 2: Thread extraction

The mulberry silk cocoons are placed in boiling water to soften the silk threads and to dissolve the sericin. This process ensures the thread maintains its integrity and does not get damaged when it begins to be spun onto a reel. Once the silk thread is on the reel it is washed again in boiling water and soap.

Step 3: Dyeing

Each thread it then bleached and dried. Once this step takes place the thread is then placed into a special dye bath to soak up the luminous colours

Step 4: Spinning

The threads are then placed on a spinning wheel, which ensures each individual silk thread lies flat ready to be woven

Step 5: Weaving

This is when the single threads of silk are interlaced to lock around each other and create a strong and uniform piece of fabric. Pure silk fabric is when only silk threads are used to create the piece of fabric. Different weaves of pure silk (ranging from coarse to very silky) Gauze, Organza, Chiffon, Crepe de Chine, Charmeuse, Raw silk. owever, it is at this point that silk can also be interlaced with other synthetic materials like satin, (namely Satin Silk) or even some other natural fibres like cotton (namely Silk Cotton).

Step 6: Fishing.

It is at this step that the silk fabric is given its final lustre by applying different treatments to the fabric which add a many of its unique attributes, such as fire resistance and wrinkle-resistant.

Silk is used to make luxurious fabrics for Nightwear, Silk Duvets, Silk accessories and cosmetics containing silk protein.

What is inside your duvet?

SILK BATTING

Silk duvet inners are made using pure 100% silk batting in different togs to create the ideal weight and warmth for the season or climate.

Silk batting is identifiable by the sheen on the silk.

In South Africa in particular, we use 3.2 tog for summer duvets and 6.4 tog for winter duvets.

Custom tog silk duvets can be ordered and manufactured by special request. The lowest tog is 2 tog which is required for full coverage.

POLYESTER/HOLLOW FIBRE FILLING

Polysester is the material used to create hollow fibre duvet filling. It essenially tries to immitate silk but apart from looking similar to silk in some respects, it does not have the same temperature regulation capabilities or the longevity.

Hollow fibre is much cheaper than silk or any of the feather fillings.

Hollow fibre is light, is springy to the touch and retains it’s puffiness fairly well. It is not possible to reinvigorate hollow fibre like Silk duvet inners.

DUCK DOWN/FEATHER FILLING

Feather filling, including various grades of duck down are the most common and popular fillings found as duvet fillings around the world.

Goose and duck down have very good thermal properties, helping to regulate temperature and as with Silk, the tog of the duvet determines what climate it is ideal for.

The tog of top quality duck/goose down duvet inners require less feather material to achieve the same tog rating.

What is a tog rating

The tog rating is a measure of the warmth of a duvet. It indicates the ability of the duvet to trap and retain heat and and when combined with the ability of the filling materials heat regulation properties, means, the higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet.

The tog rating system provides a standardized way to communicate the thermal insulation of a duvet. Here’s a general guide to tog ratings and their corresponding warmth levels:

2.0 to 6.4 Tog

These are lightweight duvets suitable for warmer weather or for people who prefer a cooler sleep environment. Our Silk Duvets are made in 2 different togs, 3.2 tog for summer and 6.4 tog for spring/winter.

At SILK.co.za we manufacture to order and are able to customize any duvet to the tog rating you require.

Silk Duvet Inner 3.2 Tog

Silk Duvet Inner 6.4 Tog

6.4 to 10.5 Tog

These are medium-weight duvets, suitable for cooler nights or for use in bedrooms with average temperatures.

12 to 13.5 Tog

These are heavyweight duvets designed for colder seasons or for individuals who tend to get cold during the night.

Over 13.5 Tog

These are extremely warm duvets, ideal for very cold climates or for individuals who are particularly sensitive to cold.

It’s important to note that personal preferences and individual factors, such as room temperature and personal body warmth, also play a role in choosing the right tog rating. Some people may find a lower tog rating sufficient even in colder weather if they tend to sleep warmly, while others may need a higher tog rating for extra insulation.

It’s a good idea to consider the tog rating in conjunction with the material and construction of the duvet to ensure the desired level of comfort. Additionally, some duvets come with options for different tog ratings on each side, allowing users to adapt to changing seasons or personal preferences.

In the case of silk tog ratings, it is possible to tie tie two of the summer duvets (3.2 tog rating) together to create a Spring Dub=vet. (6.4 tog rating)