SILK
Silk has always been special for us. Some of our very first styles were crafted from this special fibre, and our oldest suppliers specialised in working with silk cloth.Silk is an incredible fibre, and each year we discover new ways to create garments with this luxurious material. Recently, we have been exploring silk in new weaves; developing blends with other fibres, such as silk and linen; incorporating it into alpaca yarn; and introducing luxurious silk nightwear. And, of course, we mustn't forget our all-time favourite: pure silk crépe de chine fabric.
Among all natural fibres, silk has always stood out. It is the only natural fibre that is a filament – meaning it is not made up of multiple short fibres twisted together, but is instead one continuous, long fibre. Silk is incredibly strong yet elastic; it is also absorbent, breathable, soft, and possesses an irreplaceable shine – a combination that is truly unique. Despite its delicate appearance, silk is one of the strongest and most flexible fabrics in the world.
The uniqueness of silk has ensured it a special place in history for centuries. It has been used not only for clothing, but also for items such as parachutes, fishing lines, and writing surfaces. Furthermore, the very first synthetic material was developed in an attempt to replace precious silk for stockings, as no other fibre could match its qualities. Since then, silk has often been substituted in the industry by much cheaper filaments – polyester or polyamide – offering only a fraction of silk's original properties.
“At Poetry, we believe there is no true replacement for pure, natural silk – for the comfort it provides the wearer, its drape, and its unmistakable, luxurious shine.”
Our mulberry silk mainly comes from Zhejiang Province, China, which is renowned for its high-quality silk and is considered the cradle of silk production.
The craft of silk production, known as sericulture, has been practised since the Stone Age and originated in China. Chinese silk travelled across continents to Europe, with major markets in the Roman Empire, and later, in the 16th century, in Italy and France. It is remarkable that, despite global trade, China maintained a monopoly on silk for nearly a thousand years. The craft was so highly valued that an imperial decree made it punishable by death to attempt to export silkworms or their eggs.
Although sericulture is no longer a secret, China and India together still account for about 95% of global silk production, with China contributing 55% and India 40%.
How it is made
The creation of our silk begins with the birth of silkworms. It is worth noting that the species used in silk production, Bombyx mori, no longer exists in the wild. Through millennia of selective breeding, these silk moths have been transformed into flightless, defenceless creatures entirely dependent on humans for their survival.
Female silk moths lay anywhere between 300 and 500 eggs at a time. Once hatched, the silkworms feed exclusively on mulberry leaves until they grow to around 8 cm in length and turn white. At this stage, the worms begin to spin their cocoons – the source of silk. To harvest the silk, the cocoons are carefully boiled, causing the outer casing to unravel into threads ranging from 300 to 900 metres in length. These fine threads are then twisted together, dyed, and eventually knitted or woven into fine fabric.