KNOW YOUR SILK: TYPES OF SILK FABRICS AND YARNS             

TYPES OF SILK FABRICS AND YARNS

Silk is a magnificent fabric certainly. The favourite of Gods, the symbol of royalty and love of saree connoisseurs- silk is as varied as the types of handloom available in India. The thread of silk is so delicate and fine that even experts and textile engineers, who identify the fabrics for a living, can’t do it without the help of a magnifying glass. So, it is quite okay to feel overwhelmed for us commoners when buying silk sarees online.

As per an anecdote, silk was first discovered by a Chinese empress who found the silkworm accidentally. Since then we have come a long way and so does the silk, from being an exclusive for a rich man’s robes to six-yarders. We have discovered that the spiders produce the finest of silk, yes, much better than the one that Bombyx mori silkworms provide. If this New Yorker post is to be believed, the future of the textile industry is going to be spider-silk. However, until then, we can try and figure out the types of silk threads and fabrics available in India!