Various Types of Silk Fabric and How to Use It

Natural silk fabric in general actually has four kinds, namely: mulberry silk, eri silk, tasar silk, and muga silk. The silk produced by mulberry silkworms is the most frequently encountered and is considered the most valuable. The four types of silk were then developed into 35 types of fabrics that are commonly used as materials for making clothes and household furniture. Here is a guide to the most sought-after types of silk:

Charmeuse textile has the characteristics of being soft, light, and well-draped. Because the manufacturing process is woven with satin, charmeuse itself is often mistaken for satin. The difference is that the charmeuse has a glossy sheen on one side and a matte finish on the other.

With the characteristics of charmeuse, it can be used to make delicate underwear, scarves, dresses, and blouses.

Chiffon textile is a textile made from finely woven fibers. Characteristics of a thin and elegant with a slightly rough texture like gauze and beautiful curtains. This fabric will also appear light and stretch slightly when used.

Due to its sheer and lightweight characteristics, this textile is perfect for creating lines and volume. Chiffon can be used to create a voluminous wedding dress. In addition, chiffon can also be used as a material for scarves, shirts, and blouses.

Crepe textile is a textile made of plain weave. There are two popular varieties of crêpe, the Moroccan crêpe, and the Georgette crêpe. The characteristics of this fabric are soft and fluffy with a subtle sheen and characteristic wrinkles.

With the characteristics of the lightweight material and beautiful drape of the crêpe fabric, it is perfect for use as undergarments, blouses, camisole tops, and summer dresses.

Dupion textile is made from double-threaded fibers. Weaving with weft and warp yarns of different sizes makes this fabric stronger and more textured. The characteristics of the Dupion textile itself look strong, shiny, and have a crunchy texture. Don’t worry if you find slightly visible black spots on this fabric. It is part of the original cocoon of the silkworm which is also one of its characteristics.

Dupion textile is also often referred to as crosshair silk, because of its colorful appearance made from two different types of yarn. With its character that has character and lots of charm, Dupion is suitable for use as jackets, evening wear, and elegant wedding dresses.

In appearance, georgette is similar to chiffon, but characteristically they are very different. While both wrinkle-resistant and have beautiful drapes, georgette is characteristically heavier than chiffon. Georgette is made with very twisted yarn. With the characteristics of thin, light, and rough-textured. Scarves, blouses, and evening gowns are popular options for using georgette textile.

Habotai is a plain-woven textile, with characteristics of soft, light, smooth, and shiny. With a thickness range from 5mm-8mm, Habotai fabric is popular for use as upholstery, underwear, scarves, or blouses.

The characteristics of organza are thin, smooth, light, and shiny fabrics. Even though it is thin, because it is made of a very bent woven textile, it makes organza a strong and durable fabric. Organza fabrics are popular for use as collars, hoods, fronts, and evening gowns.

Silk satin is a very superior textile when compared to polyester satin. With the characteristics of a glossy and very smooth surface, the impression of luxury and glamor is very visible from the visuals. With the characteristics of non-sticky silk fabric, this fabric is suitable for use as evening and wedding dresses with a luxurious and glamorous impression.

Also known as tussah silk. Shantung is a fabric made with short coarse fibers. The texture of shantung cloth is similar to dupion. Although both stiff and lightweight, shantung fabrics have a more irregular finish. Due to the wrinkle-free characteristics of shantung fabric, it is suitable for use in shirts, dresses, and trousers.

Silk crêpe-backed satin is a reversible textile that can be used on both sides. Made of silk in a sating and crêpe-backed finish. This fabric has the visual characteristic of a shimmering sheen that is light and smooth to the touch. Because of these characteristics, this fabric is suitable for use in blouses, party dresses, and wedding dresses.

Velvet cloth or which in Indonesian is often also called “Beludru”. It is a very soft silk fabric with a premium sheen. With the characteristics of a medium to heavy fabric, this fabric is more suitable for use as a party dress, and a wedding dress.