jrbsilks.com articles

Sheer Silk Fabrics

2012-02-02 10:33:40 -0500

While silk taffeta, charmeuse, shantung, and silk linen are considered “heavy” weight silks, on the other end of the spectrum we have silk chiffon, organza, and georgette which are sheer and considered “light” weight fabrics. These lightweight sheer fabrics are made using thin threads and a loose knit which result in a semi-transparent effect, allowing light to pass through. Sheer silk fabrics were traditionally used to layer other garments to add a soft touch, for example in winter wear, but now sheer silk can be made into light garments and lingerie. Some sheer silk fabrics can even be used for upholstery. Sheer silk fabric is dyed after the weave and is therefore available in almost any color imaginable. White, cream, ivory and eggshell are the most popular colors in the sheer silk category. Silk georgette is used almost exclusively in fashion while silk chiffon and organza are used in interior as well as fashion applications. Traditionally, sheer silks have been used to layer other garments in order to add a soft touch and/or a design variation.
Sheer silk chiffon used on a curtain. A common use for silk organza and silk chiffon is in drapes and curtains that allow sunlight to pass through during the day while maintaining a certain level of privacy. Sheer silk fabrics are also often used in bridal wear where their lightness if a big plus for brides where wearing a heavy wedding gown can become cumbersome. High-end fashion designers often use sheer silks in their designs. Since sheer silks are delicate they require care against damages and blemishes. Also, due to the fabric’s delicate nature its best to hand wash it with cold water and use a low power detergent that is suitable to soft cloths.

Silk Fabrics for Drapery

2011-10-17 15:57:30 -0400

When you decide to make drapes, or curtains, for your home, silk is among the many choices of fabrics available to you. Silk fabric is one the most elegant and luxurious fabrics available, and is known to be amongst the most durable and adaptable. Silk drapes are unmatched in beauty and magnificence.
Photo showing the beauty of silk drapery. There are numerous silk fabrics for you to pick from when making drapes. Here are some of the most popular selections of silk fabrics for draperies: Silk Organza: Silk organza is a sheer fabric available in vibrant hues. It will light up your room making your windows look truly remarkable as the sun shines through. Silk organza drapes can be moved with ease over the rod. Not only does silk organza drape very nicely, but it is also available with exquisite embroidery. Silk organza drapes offer style while providing just the right amount of privacy for your home. Silk Taffeta: Silk taffeta is a nice medium weight silk fabric that drapes very gracefully. It can be soft and flowing as well as stiff and durable. With a backing fabric, the taffeta can effectively block out the sun all the while looking brilliant due its shine. Silk taffeta is available in a wide variety of colors, so you can find your perfect fabric. Jacquard Silk: Jacquard silk is a heavy rich fabric that does not require backing. This silk fabric can completely block out the sun but still be used for decorative purposes. Jacquard silk drapes are typically floor length, which makes them formal, and they are hung on a traverse rod, meaning you have to pull them open or close them with a string.

Silk Fabrics for Upholstery

2011-09-07 11:53:07 -0400

Upholstery refers to the art of providing furniture fabrics and covers. Silk, when used as in an upholstery application truly adds a royal touch unlike any other fabric. In any furniture the covering is what truly makes the first impression, so securing your chair, sofa, or bedding with silk is a great choice.
Example of Silk Dupioni used on a Sofa. Almost all silk fabrics can be used for upholstery, except a few very light sheer ones. Silk dupioni, silk shantung, and silk linen are the three types of silk fabric most commonly used in upholstery. Although some upholsterers will put the silk directly onto the upholstery furniture, it is bad practice. It is instead recommended to knit back the fabric first. Knit backing consists of a cotton type material adhered to the back of the fabric so that to make the fabric much more durable and long-lasting. Securing the fabric with knit backing also makes the upholstery process much easier and less prone to accidents. As an additional benefit to our customers, here at JRB Silks can back any silk you order from us or send to us using our own industry-leading proprietary processes. With low-minimums and quick turn-arounds we are the one-stop shop for both silk fabrics and backing & finishing services. More information on our backing services.

Silk Tussah

2011-08-02 15:55:37 -0400

Unlike most types of silk fabrics, silk tussah is not produced from the domesticated silk worm. This results in shorter, more course filament fibers that are characteristic of the tussah fabric. Often times tussah silk is confused with raw silk but they are not the same. Raw silk is any silk fabric that hasn't had sericin (the natural "gum" that protects the fiber) removed. Raw silk is stiff and dull and the sericin tends to attract dirt and odors. In most applications, silk tussah is preferable to raw silk.
Images showing the texture of the silk tussah fabric. Tussah silk is valued most for its spectacular colors. These colors include gold, beige, cream, and light pink which are all unlike the traditional white silk. Due to its rich colors, Silk Tussah was once only work worn by the royalty in India. To this day, Silk Tussah is considered a luxury fabric. Its colors make it perfect for evening wear. Tussah silk fabric is used to make gorgeous dresses and is particularly famous for its luster. Sometimes its blended with wool and polyester to make jackets, shawls, and scarves and is even used to make painting canvases. Silk Tussah is also heavily used in interior type applications including chairs, sofas and bedding accessories. Because the quality of the silk depends directly on the diet and surroundings of the silk worm, Silk Tussah is very tough. Tussah silk fabric is resistant to dyes and stains and is very durable. For this silk fabric, care and stain protection instructions are minimal compared to other silk fabrics. At JRB we carry over 100 colors in silk taffeta, all of which are 54 inches in width. Our silk tussah is grade A, meaning it is the highest quality silk available.

Wallpaper Backing on Silks

2011-07-18 17:13:25 -0400

Silk fabric, when used as a wallpaper, can dramatically change the look and feel of any room in an interior setting. Silk fabric has long been the most sought after for wallpapers, but silk can be extremely difficult to apply on a wall due to the nature of the fabric. In fact, some wallpaper hangars refuse to work with silks because the fabric is expensive and often cannot be replaced if there are any mistakes made during installation. Since working with silks can be difficult, mistakes can easily be made. Nonetheless, for those clients with high-end, luxurious needs, there is simply no substituting for look and feel of 100% silk fabric on a wall.
Photo showing silk Dupioni used as a wallpaper JRB has developed techniques to compensate for silks natural inability to wallpaper well. Using our proprietary wallpaper backing technology, fabric hangars will find it significantly easier to work with silks. Below we have outlined some issues wallpaper hangars have had in the past and how our techniques can compensate: Problem 1: Raw silk fabric is not durable or stiff enough on its own Our wallpaper backing adds the necessary stiffness to to fabric to make it more suitable for wallpaper type applications. Our wallpaper backing is significantly stiffer than the knit backing used in upholstery. Problem 2: Adhesives seep through the back of the silk fabric and end up staining the front A proprietary moisture resistant barrier is placed between the silk and the backing, thereby stopping any adhesive from seeping through. Problem 3: Silk is difficult to replace, and can often stain easily We apply a Stain Protection chemical formulation to the face of the fabric that protects it from all types of moisture and most types of stains. The stain protection is specially designed not to change neither the texture nor the color of the original fabric. Problem 4: Only certain types of silks can be used as wallpapers Our backing can support all types and colors of silk fabric. Embroidered and brocade silk fabrics particularly look excellent when applied to interior walls, provided that wallpaper backing has been applied to them beforehand. Problem 5: Silk wallpapers can be difficult to maintain Aside from the ease of application, our wallpaper backing is also very easy to clean and maintain. Wallpapers with our backing can be scrubbed with water without the fear of the wallpaper peeling off. The stain protection applied to face of the fabric protects from stains. We hope this answers some of your questions regarding wallpaper backing. Remember that you can apply any backing or finishing services on silk you purchase from us. If you have your own fabric you can send it to us as well to get it backed. If you'd like a complimentary brochure containing samples of backed fabrics as well as pricing information, please contact us today.

High quality vs low quality silk

2011-07-08 00:21:49 -0400

Silk has a reputation of being the premier luxury fabric. The fabric has been used for a variety of purposes throughout history and till this day remains the fabric of choice for high-end applications. Silk as a fabric is very versatile and encompasses every good trait that a truly high quality fabric should have. Silk Fabric’s high quality can be illustrated through its many uses including, but not limited to, high-end men’s suits and women’s dresses, breathtaking home décor, lavish drapes, posh upholstery, and more. So what really defines a high quality silk? Since each silk fabric is known for its particular trait and no two types of silks are the same, the first distinction stems from the difference between a cultivated silk and a wild silk. Cultivated silk is produced from a domestic worm, normally bombyx mori, and due to its domestic roots, is very soft to touch and is of brilliant white color. Wild silk, on the other hand, can be a bit coarse and has its natural, usually beige, color. Cultivated silk also has a bright luster that is not present in the wild silk. The second important factor that distinguishes high quality from low quality silk is that the momme count (pronounced "mummy" count) of a fabric. This number should not be less than 12. Momme is a special weight measurement used for high quality fabrics and is used to indicate the heft and weight of the fabric. Higher momme weight means that more silk was used in the production of the fabric. The last important factor is the thread count of the fabric. The thread count should generally be greater than 400. Both higher momme weight and thread count show the durability of the silk fabric. At JRB we carry only the highest quality silk fabrics. Some of our silks -- our brocades for example -- take a weaver almost 2 days to weave a single yard due to their high thread count and intricate details. We advise exercising caution when purchasing high-end textiles as not all fabric is the same.

Silk Taffeta Fabric

2011-07-02 23:26:44 -0400

Silk Taffeta derives its name from the Persian “Taftah” which means “twisted woven”; the fabric is traditionally plain and extremely tightly woven with fine horizontal ribs produced from white silk cocoons. Silk taffeta fabric is the second most widely used of the silks (just behind silk dupioni).
Photo showing crispness and glossiness of silk taffeta Compared to the other types of silk, silk taffeta fabric is admirably crisp and glossy in texture, making a unique rustle sound when moved around. It is considered to be one of the most “high end” and sought after fabrics in the fashion and interior design worlds. For drapery applications, the taffeta floors beautifully creating a gorgeous pool effect. High-end fashion designers often use silk taffeta as lining and in eveningwear as it has great insulation and abrasion resistance properties. At JRB we carry over 400 unique colors in silk taffeta by the yard, all of which are 54 inch wide goods. We also carry a wide variety of plaids and stripes. Like most types of silks, taffeta should not be spot cleaned and dry-cleaned only.
Photo showing silk taffeta plaid
Photo showing silk taffeta striped

Sewing with Silk: A must-read!

2011-06-22 23:41:44 -0400

This is a great article for those artists with a passion for silk fabric in their designs. The article includes valuable tips for those who are sewing with silk fabric and it also highlights the main differences between the many different types of silk fabrics available (most of which we carry here at JRB!). A great read for anyone that is looking for more information on silk fabric. Let us know what you think of the article in the comments below! Special thanks to our friends at Sew News for the article.

Silk Dupioni & Silk Shantung: What’s the difference?

2011-06-19 19:23:12 -0400

Silk Dupioni, also referred to as Silk Douppioni or Silk Dupion, along with its close relative Silk Shantung is the most heavily used silk fabric in the market today. Approximately 65% of all silks produced are Silk Dupioni or Shantung. These textiles are used both in apparel as well as interior applications, including but not limited to outerwear, undergarments, high fashion items and accessories, shoes, draperies, chairs and sofas, pillows and sheets. Though very similar, there are some minor differences that exist between Silk Dupioni fabric and Silk Shantung fabric. Silk Dupioni fabric's distinctive feature is the excellent glimmering effect it produces when moved around in light due to the two colors. Its two vibrant colors are a result of its unique creation; harvested from double cocoons or from single cocoons that are interlocked together, it generally has two colors in the weave. This property is known as iridescence. Silk Dupioni fabris are completely hand-woven. On the other hand, Silk Shantung fabric does not display an iridescent effect because it uses one color in the weave. Silk Shantung, which was first manufactured in the Shantung providence of China, is machine-woven unlike its counterpart Silk Dupioni. Silk Dupioni fabric and Silk Shantung fabric are normally available in vivid dyed colors but are also available in natural pink, or white, and bleached white. When cleaning both fabrics, dry cleaning is preferred over handwashing or machine washing since the fabric might shrink and, particularly in the case of clothes, not fit anymore due to its low stretch ability. Are there any other important differences we missed in this article? Have another interesting fact? Let us know in the comments below!

Your source for quality designer silk fabric

2011-06-16 22:12:32 -0400

JRB Silk Fabrics is your source for high quality designer silks. With over 3000 different sku’s we are confident that our extensive collection offers a silk to fit every design need. With the world’s largest online collection of silks, JRB is the brand of choice for designers, companies and customers throughout the USA and across the world looking for silk fabrics. Our online catalog offers a variety of silks, most of which are stocked well in our Atlanta and New York warehouse. For large quantity orders for which we may not have sufficient quantities in stock, we can place a back order and have your fabric directly shipped from our mills in India and China. This blog serves as a tool for our customers to keep up with the newest silks that have been added to our collection as well as market trends and interesting relevant material. It is also as a resource for designers and decorators looking for more information on our silks. Are there any questions you’ve had regarding our silks as you browsed our collections? We’d love to answer them. Let us know in the comments below!