Dyeing, sewing and caring for silk
At Silk Wholesalers we like to help make your silk experience a great one. Please find below some fact sheets that can help you with caring for and working with our silks and silk products.
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Information about our silk fabrics and scarves
Our silks and silk scarves are 100% pure silk, undyed and unbleached. They don’t contain any factory finishes or treatments that may prevent dyes penetrating the silk. However, we recommend that you wash your silk before dyeing to remove any finger marks or grease from handling.
Scarf size
Each silk scarf is cut to the specified size. Then a rolled hem of approximately 1cm is sewn on all sides, reducing the size of the finished scarf.
Does silk shrink?
Yes, silk does shrink. Our silk fabrics and silk scarves are not pre-shrunk.
The amount the silk shrinks depends on how tightly woven it is. Tightly woven silk fabric shrinks less than a loosely woven silk fabric. The table below shows estimated shrinkage.
|
Silk fabric |
Shrinkage ％ |
|
Pongee, Habutai |
3-6 |
|
Chiffon |
3-6 |
|
Crepe de Chine |
9-12 |
|
Georgette |
13-15 |
|
Crinkle Georgette |
18-23 |
|
Twill |
4-6 |
|
Crepe Satin |
4-6 |
|
Silk Cotton |
5-7 |
Allow for silk shrinkage
If you are using silk to make clothes please make allowance for silk shrinkage. It is recommended that you pre-shrink your silk by hand washing it in cold water with a mild detergent or a gentle shampoo. Dry it by rolling it up in a towel to remove excess water.