Silk, a fabric made from animal fiber generated by silkworms that spin it to build cocoons, is generally used for clothing such as blouses, dresses and ties as well as sheets and curtains. Although it has a fine, elegant and delicate appearance, it has several disadvantages as shown below.
One of the most expensive fabrics on the market is silk. Compared with cotton or nylon, silk is expensive. Since the fabric’s elegant appearance and the difficulty in its manufacture, silk ties, silk sheets or other silk products cost significantly more than cotton counterparts. Therefore, silk is considered a luxurious product.
Difficult to Take Care of
No doubt, silk is more difficult to care for than other fabrics. The preferred method of cleaning silk is dry cleaning. If you plan to wash it by your hand, you had better test a small area first with using a silk-specific detergent or mild soap. Besides, it is recommended to wash each garment separately. Do not bleach silk. Never let silk soak in prewash products. All silk products must be air-dried and steam ironed at low temperatures. Do not wring or twist silk garments.
As we know, silk is valued for its delicacy. However, the delicacy is in fact the disadvantage of the fabric. Silk should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Otherwise, it fades easily. Over time, silk fabric becomes yellow and is particularly prone to perspiration stains. Do not wear silk clothes to travel since silk wrinkles easily and requires a steam iron. Besides, silk has water absorption, thus liquid stains are noticeable.
Nonorganic silk is often unethically obtained. During the collection of silk cocoons, silkworms or silk-producing moths are sometimes harmed or killed. Silk cocoons will be collected before the worm reaches maturity, which will interface with its life cycle. Organic silk or wild silk is collected ethically.