Wild silk
Origin: China
Certificates: Oeko-Tex
- Wild silk is made by silkworms. As the name of the fabric suggests, the silkworms live in the wild. Wild silkworms feed on and live in trees.
- Wild silk is a lot more textured than regular silk.
- Due to its short fiber length, wild silk is more comparable to wool.
- It has the same positive attributes as silk (see above).
- The process of making wild silk is also known as non-violent, which is when the silk is processed without killing the silkworm. For around 30 days the silkworm grows and munches on tree leaves until it reaches its final size. It then starts to spin its cocoon, which takes another 15 days. Once the moth leaves its cocoon, the silk is collected and processed into yarn.
Care
We recommend a cold wash on a gentle cycle using natural detergent and hang drying for all our products. A colder wash saves electricity, the gentle cycle wears the fabric down less, natural detergent (especially with neutral PH) can retain the colour and elastane for longer and hang drying is easier on the clothing and the environment. Hand washing is always a good option too. If you are not separating delicates, use a laundry bag to protect the fabric from getting damaged. Look for a dense fabric for the laundry bag.
Naturally dyed garments are sensitive to sun exposure. To ensure colourfastness, do not dry or store in direct contact with the sun.
To reduce washes, we recommend airing or freezing your garments and spot cleaning whenever you have a stain. Airing helps in getting rid of the odour and you can do this by leaving your clothing outside overnight. Freezing gets rid of smell, mildew as well as moths and is effective when done for 6-12 hours. This helps keep clothing in better condition for longer and ensures the colours don’t fade.
Washing synthetic fibers releases microplastics into the water system, especially during the first washes, but washing the synthetic blend fabrics in a laundry bag that captures the microfibers allows you to dispose of the microfibers properly. You can also use a laundry ball or a washing machine filter.
Clothing can shrink about 5-7% in the wash.
Knits should be stored folded, as hanging knitwear can change its shape. Storing clean clothing with cedar wood or lavender in your drawers can help prevent moths.