Is there a difference between satin and silk?
Many people think that there's a difference between satin and silk - and they're right - but probably not in the way they thought. Satin is actually a weave and is not a natural fibre. Traditionally, satin was made from real silk fibres however, you will find that it is more common to find satin made from polyester or nylon; and sometimes blended mixtures with pure silk, cotton or rayon.
Silk, on the other hand, is is a natural fibre made by silkworms who spin themselves into a cocoon creating one long strand of fibre. This strand of fibre is then unravelled and attached to another strand, and so on, creating silk yarn.
How to tell if silk is pure silk.
1. Touch your silk - real silk is soft and completely smooth to touch.
2. Scrunch - scrunch the silk in your hand, if you hear a crunching noise then BINGO! It's real.
3. Rub - if you rub your the silk between your fingers, you should notice the silk heats up and it warm to touch.
A sure way to find out whether your silk is real is by doing the burn test. No, we're not encor
HOW TO CONDUCT THE BURN TEST (click here to watch video)
1) Get an off cut of silk
2) Put a live flame on the silk
3) The silk should NOT set alight but should begin to burn like hair - it should also smell like burnt hair
4) The only be a dark black chalk/powderish residue
Investing in high quality silk wear is a great way to enter the world of sustainable fashion. Silk can last years and years, and if cared for well, it can be handed down, sold or donated. Check out our silk wear line for a luxurious take on sustainable silk wear.