Silk Lingerie

Silk is a natural fiber obtained from cocoons of the silkworm. Silk fabric was first made between 3000-6000 in China. The process that is used today is not dramatically different from the process that was used then.

Silk is popular in lingerie because it has a very soft and smooth feeling to it, giving it a image of sensuality.

Although silk is one of the strongest natural fibers silk can lose up to 20% of its strength when wet. Silk is quite fragile:

If elongated even a small amount silk remains stretched.

Silk can be weakened if exposed to too much sunlight.

Silk is sometimes attacked and eaten by insects.

Silk can shrink and should be dry cleaned.

Nevertheless, silk remains extremely popular material for lingerie. Possibly its image as a delicate, sensitive and luxurious material helps to make it so popular.

A type of 'artificial silk' does exist, which does not require silkworms. It is known as Viscose or Rayon. Rayon is similar in appearance to silk and is much cheaper.

Some terms to be careful of:

Charmeuse is a lightweight version of satin with a softer and more clingy look. Charmeuse is a common weavewith silk or rayon and has less body than traditional silk fabrics. Before buying an item of Charmeuse, confirm if it is a blend of synthetics or 100% silk.

Satin is a cloth that typically has a glossy surface and may look like silk. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibers such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is termed a "satin".


Chiffon can be made from cotton, silk or synthetic fibers, but is usually associated with silk or nylon