Silk

Silk Fabric Tailoring: what it is

Silk is a continuous protein filament produced by the silkworm. Unlike wool or cotton, which are short fibres spun into yarn, silk arrives as a filament potentially hundreds of metres long.

That continuity is why silk is smooth: there are no fibre ends projecting from the yarn to catch the light or feel rough. It is also why silk has such pronounced lustre, since the triangular cross-section of the filament refracts light like a prism.

The weaves

Crepe de chine uses tightly twisted yarns that give a subtly grainy matte surface. It has real body, drapes cleanly, resists clinging, and is forgiving of construction. The most practical silk for blouses and dresses.

Charmeuse is a satin weave with a bright face and matte reverse. Dramatic, fluid, and completely unforgiving: every seam and dart reads in the reflection.

Habotai is a light plain weave, soft and inexpensive, often used for linings. It clings and is fairly transparent at low weights.

Shantung and dupioni have slubbed, irregular yarns giving a crisp texture with visible horizontal ribs. They hold structure well, which suits evening dresses and structured pieces.

Georgette is sheer and crinkled from highly twisted yarns, and floats rather than drapes.

Momme

Silk weight uses its own unit, and it is the number worth asking for.

Roughly: 8 to 12 momme is light and semi-transparent, suitable for linings and floaty garments. 12 to 16 momme is standard blouse weight. 16 to 19 momme hangs with authority, is properly opaque and clings very little. Above 19 momme you are into heavy dress and furnishing weights.

For a blouse meant for regular wear, 16 momme crepe de chine is the reliable answer.

Where silk belongs in tailoring

Primarily in womenswear: blouses, dresses, and structured evening pieces.

In menswear it appears mainly as linings, where its smoothness lets a jacket slide over a shirt, and in ties and pocket squares. Silk suiting exists and is uncommon, because silk does not recover from creasing the way wool does and shows wear at friction points quickly.

Silk is also blended into wool suiting in small proportions to add subtle lustre and softness.

Its weaknesses

Worth knowing before you commit.

Sunlight degrades silk faster than any other common fibre, so it should not be stored in daylight. Perspiration damages it, and marks can be permanent. Alkaline detergents dissolve the protein, so it needs a pH-neutral wash. And it frays badly when cut, which is why well-made silk garments use French or bound seams.

See the fabric guide for how silk compares with the other fibres.