Silk

It is one of those fabrics that people don't know much about and certainly don't wear that often as an item of clothing. 

However, this Year we have seen more and more people opting for silk mix fabrics from which to have their clothing made.

I myself have had a couple of pairs of silk and merino wool mix trousers made for the summer and I absolutely love them. They regulate the heat brilliantly, are far more robust that I ever thought they would be and customers who have been in whilst I have been wearing a pair have all gone on to look into silk mix fabrics for their clothing.

I went with Bateman Ogden for this and have a light pair and a classic navy. I am probably going to have the matching jacket made for the navy pair, I love it that much.

Another absolute favourite this year has been the silk and linen, and silk, linen, wool mix fabric for jackets this summer.

Again, people were slightly sceptical about my suggestions due to the silk, but after having something made and spending time wearing it, everyone has said how amazed they are about how comfortable the item is and how much they love the feel.

The most popular choices for this have been from Harrisons of Edinburgh and in plain blues

Another favourite has been the linen / silk mix Cascade fabrics from Dugdale Brothers. Again, mainly in a plain, but we have a few subtle patterns chosen.

 We have also made a couple of silk shirts recently, which we haven't done for a long time. The silk we have been using for this comes from Acorn Fabrics

 There are many benefits of silk, just a few are listed below:

• Because of its natural protein structure, silk is the most hypoallergenic of all fabrics
• An all-climate fabric, silk is warm and cozy in winter and comfortably cool when temperatures rise. Its natural temperature-regulating properties give silk this paradoxical ability to cool and warm simultaneously. Silk garments thus outperform other fabrics in both summer and winter. Silk worn as a second layer warms without being bulky
• Silk is highly absorbent and dries quickly. It can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. Silk will absorb perspiration while letting your skin breathe
• In spite of its delicate appearance, silk is relatively robust and its smooth surface resists soil and odors well
• While silk abrasion resistance is moderate, it is the strongest natural fiber and, surprisingly, it easily competes with steel yarn in tensile strength
• Silk mixes well with other fibres

So, maybe it is time you had a look at silk again?

We would love to have you pop in to our Cirencester Showroom if you are passing, or please call or email us to book your appointment