Silk exudes elegance and sophistication by its shine and opulence. It has several attributes which set it above other fibers. Silk is both softer than human hair but as strong as wire. It is resistant to dust and moths. Silk has been used for thousands of years dating back to Indus Valley Civilization which was present around 2500 BC. Silk is a natural protein fiber produced by silkworms that are kept in captivity. Other insects can also produce silk. However, only silk from the silkworms is used for textile purposes. China is the largest silk producer and consumer in the world followed by India where Indian sarees made from silk are famous. There are several types of silk commercially known and produced around the world. Some of the common types of silks include;
Mulberry Silk
Eri silk is durable and makes great material for clothing and soft furnishing such as curtains. However, the silk is heavy to wash and may harbor microorganisms since it is easier for them to stick to the fabric. Muga silk is golden yellow in color. The Muga silkworm also belongs to the same genus as the Tasar silkworm. What is the best UPF fabric for clothing? The Luminology Technology™ fabric has been infused with an all natural plant-based oil that makes the fabric naturally UV-blocking fabric and best sun protective clothing, without exposing your skin to any chemicals or leaving you hot and uncomfortable. We at Luminora use this third method for sun blocking the fabrics in the UPF clothing.
Mulberry silk is the most common and widely used silk around the world. It accounts for about 90% of the world’s supply. The bulk of silk produced around the world comes from the mulberry variety. Thus, the term “silk” generally refers to the silk from a mulberry worm. This type of silk is produced by the Bombyx mori silkworm who feed on mulberry bushes. hence the name. The silkworms are entirely domesticated and reared indoor. Mulberry silk is popular around the world, though especially in China, Japan, and Korea. The production of the silk involves the killing of the worms in their cocoons to extract the silk fiber. The disadvantage of using mulberry silk is that it requires extra care to maintain its smooth texture.
Tasar Silk
Tasar or tussah silk is a type of wild silk produced by caterpillars other than the mulberry worm. The silk has a feel and quality different from the mulberry silk. It is produced from a Tasar silkworm which belongs to the genus Antheraea. The Chinese Tasar silkworm produces the largest quantity of non-mulberry silk followed by the Indian Tasar silkworm. The Japanese Tasar silkworm produces a green silk thread. Most of the taser silk are copperish in color and are mainly used in furnishing and interior since they are the strongest fibers in the world. Tasar silk is produced by reeling the cocoons of the Tasar silkworm. The silk is available in its natural form since it is tough to dye.
Eri Silk
Eri silk, also known as the Endi or Errandi silk, is a creamy white-colored silk. It is derived from two domesticated species of silkworms known as Samia ricini and Philosamia ricin. Eri silk is a peace silk since it is spun from the cocoon of the silkworm without destroying the worm unlike mulberry and Tasar silk. The castor silkworm which produces Eri silk is reared on the castor oil plant. The silk has a matt appearance of wool or cotton. The castor silkworm and the mulberry silkworm are the only domesticated silkworms with both relying on human intervention to develop. Eri silk is durable and makes great material for clothing and soft furnishing such as curtains. However, the silk is heavy to wash and may harbor microorganisms since it is easier for them to stick to the fabric.
Muga Silk
Muga silk is golden yellow in color. The Muga silkworm also belongs to the same genus as the Tasar silkworm. The silkworm is semi-domesticated, especially in Assam and feeds on aromatic leaves of soalu plants. Muga silk is known for the glossy texture and its golden brown color. The silk is limited in supply and is only used in the state of Assam for making traditional dresses, especially for the royal families. Its high quality makes it popular for making sarees and chaddars. Mass production of muga silk is possible since its production is eco-friendly and the silkworm does not require delicate care. The porosity of the muga silk can sometimes be a disadvantage as it sometimes limits bleaching.
Spider Silk
Spider silk is a non-insect silk variety that is soft and fine in texture. It is the most difficult silk to produce as spiders cannot be bred like silkworms and do not produce as much yarn as silkworms. Spider silk is produced from Madagascan species including Nephila madagascarensis. The accumulated fiber is reeled from the abdominal segment four or five times a month. The cost of producing the silk is so high that it is not used in the textile industry. However, it is one of the most durable types of silk use in the production of bulletproof vests, telescopes, optical instrument, and wear-resistant clothes.
Mussel Silk
Mussel silk is obtained from bivalve found in shallow waters along the shores of the Italia and Dalmatia of Adriatic. It is often called the ‘sea silk’ since it is produced by mussels found on the seabed. The brown filament is produced by the mussel to anchor it to rock. The filament is combed and spun into a silk referred to as fish silk. The production of mussel silk is confined to the shores of Taranto, Italy. The effects of pollution have made it difficult to source the silk. It accounts for one of the most expensive types of silk. However, the silk has been produced since the Ancient Greek, around the 8th century BC.
Anaphe Silk
Anaphe silk is commonly produced in the southern and central African countries. It is produced from a silkworm in the genus Anaphe which spin cocoons in communes enclosed by a thin layer of silk. The fluff is spun into a raw silk that is normally soft and lustrous. The fabric made out of Anaphe silk is elastic and stronger than the mulberry silk. The silk is used in making velvet, light seat covers, and plush.
Coan Silk
Coan silk is produced from the larvae of the Pachypasa atus which is common in the Mediterranean region covering Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The species feed exclusively on trees such as pines, oak, and juniper and spin white cocoons. Coan silk was used to make crimson-dyed clothes which were worn by dignitaries in the ancient times, especially in Rome. The silk is no longer produced commercially due to the limited output and the emergence of the superior variety of silk. However, it can be mixed with other varieties of silk to produce a stronger and durable fabric.
A FEW FACTS
- Milk fibre is made from casein, a protein in milk, and is normally blended with the chemical binder acrylonitrile – the main component of acrylic yarn.
- Milk fibres are made from sour, not fresh, milk.
- In Germany around two million tonnes of milk are thrown away each year. Milk fibre dyes and smells like wool.
- A drawback of milk fibre is that it wrinkles easily.
- Milk fibre has a PH similar to human skin, and is antibacterial and antifungal.
- Milk fibres can be used to make all sorts of clothing, including T-Shirts, sportswear, dresses and underwear.
A significant proportion of food waste is dairy. WRAP, a UK charity that helps individuals and organisations reduce waste, says that 20% of the estimated 1.7 million tonnes of annual waste created during food manufacturing in the UK is dairy, second in volume only to meat and fish. It is, however, possible to turn dairy waste into a surprising new material: fibres that can be spun and woven and used to make clothing and other textiles.
Beda Ricklin, CEO of Swicofil, a yarn and fibre company based in Switzerland, which sells milk fibres produced by manufacturers in China, says that milk fibre is “a very smooth and soft product” that is mainly used for clothing worn close to the skin, like socks and underwear.
In the past, Ricklin has had his own milk fibre socks, which were “very nice to wear, like cashmere or silk”. These luxury fibres, he adds, are the best conventional comparisons to milk.
Milk fibre isn’t new. It was being used for clothing and household items during the 1930s and 40s, as a substitute for wool. Later, cheaper synthetics like nylon became more popular.
Milk fibre belongs to a class of bio-based, man-made fibres known as regenerated protein fibres. It is made from the protein casein, which can be separated from sour milk. Casein is dissolved in a solution and then forced through a spinneret – a device that resembles a shower head – to produce long strands, which are then stretched, heated and chemically treated to increase their strength and stability.
In the past, unpleasant chemicals such as formaldehyde were used to strengthen the fibres. Today, most milk fibres are blended with the chemical binder acrylonitrile, which is also the main component of acrylic yarn.
“Formaldehyde is certainly not something you find in milk fibre today” says Ricklin. The fibres sold by Swicofil have been granted the international Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, which means they are free of various chemicals that are harmful to humans and the environment.
According to Ricklin, the plus points of the fibre are that it feels very nice, is good at wicking moisture from the body and has great insulation properties, but he adds that it has a limited market due to its cost. For comparison, polyester costs around $1–$2 per kilogramme, while milk fibre is approximately $25–$35, although this is cheaper than other luxury fibres like silk.
In Germany one producer claims to have developed a technique for creating milk fibres that uses only natural ingredients. Microbiologist, fashion designer and founder of Qmilk, Anke Domaske, first became interested in milk fibre when her stepdad developed allergies following a cancer diagnosis and struggled to find clothes he could wear.
Domaske was looking for a chemical and pesticide free fabric. “When I first heard about milk fibre I was very enthusiastic, because it is milk, it is natural and healthy,” she explains. “But when I found out that the manufacturing process uses lots of chemicals I was very disappointed.”
What Is Milk Silk Material Fabric
Domaske says that her process creates a fibre that is “so natural you can eat it”. “It is also antibacterial, flame retardant, and temperature regulating”, she adds. And it can be washed at 60°C.
Qmilk’s fibre is produced using waste from German dairies. “In Germany over two million tonnes of milk is wasted every year because it isn’t suitable for human consumption,” says Domaske.
According to Domaske, a kilogramme of milk fibre can make approximately six T-shirts, while two tonnes is enough to make a T-shirt for every person in America – all 323 million of them – although currently she only makes dresses.
Kay Politowicz, co-founder of Textiles Environment Design (TED) at Chelsea College of Arts, in London, says that “new protein fibres are going to be a great addition to the world of sustainability” as they offer “the possibility of a renewable starting and a recyclable end point, for materials that actually feel good and perform in the ways you need”.
She says, however, that there will always be detractors. People who question whether we should be using waste milk and argue that we should not base an industry on waste that should not occur.
But the waste is there. “You can have an idealist target and you can be practical, it is about finding that balance,” explains Politowicz.
According to WRAP, 200,000 tonnes of the 340,000 tonnes of milk wasted during the manufacturing of dairy products in the UK is avoidable. Leaving 140,000 tonnes of waste that may be unavoidable.
What Is Milk Silk Fabric Made Of
Photo credits: Piotr Łohunko
Clothes Made From Milk
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Milk Fabric
27/07/2017