Roll of fabric with knit backing

Silk Fabric with Backing & Finishing

Traditional Silk Engineered for Greater Performance

JRB is the exclusive provider of high performance silk fabrics using our in-house backing & finishing facilities. When compared to traditional silks, our high performance silks have increased dimensional stability, fabric life and resiliency. High performance silk fabrics are more suitable for non-conventional applications where traditional silk would be more difficult to work-with. Some of these applications include applying silks to chairs, sofas, cornices, headboards, wallpaper, handbags, shoes, book and album covers, wedding invitations, and a variety of other applications. Below you will find a comparison between traditional silk and High Performance Silk.

Traditional Silk	High Performance Silk
Lightweight and delicate by nature	Two to three times more durable with backing
Like all natural fabrics, may fade over time	Fade resistant ultra-violet finish improves the colorfastness and lifespan of the fabric
Can be difficult to cut and sew	Easier to cut and sew
Can stain, and not resistant to moisture	Nanoparticles protect the silk fabric at the molecular level keeping it free from stains, accidental spills, and moisture
Too delicate to be used as wallpaper and nearly impossible to align grains correctly	Can be easily applied and removed from the wall without any damage to the walls or the silk. Furthermore, Grains will be properly aligned
Naturally fire retardant, but will not pass state and city fire marshal codes for commercial usage	Meets the most stringent tests for flammability and passes nearly all city, state and application specific standards (including NFPA 702)

What constitutes High Performance Silk?

Any silk that has been engineered for enhanced performance can be classified as High Performance Silk. Of course, the specific enhancement of the silk is application and environment specific. For example, if the fabric is in a brightly lit environment, UV protection can significantly improve the durability of the color of the fabric. If the fabric were used in an outerwear, an all-natural GreenShield stain treatment could be appropriate. If the fabric were used in upholstery applications such as chairs, sofas, and the like, knit backing and stain protection would add increased dimensional stability. Some applications and recommended treatmentsare listed below:

Application	Backing	Finishing
Upholstery (chairs, sofas, headboards, sectionals, sofas and loveseats, dining chairs and club chairs, ottomans, benches, upholstered headboards, etc.) Upholstered Panels for Wallcoverings	Knit	Stain
Drapery (curtains, cornices, lambrequins, panels, roman shades, swags and cascades, valances, etc)	Knit	Stain, UltraViolet (recommended for functional draperies)
Fabric applied directly to vertical surfaces (wallpaper)	Paper	Stain
Bridal wear, apparel formalwear, high fashion, couture, shoes and handbags	Knit (recommended for shoes and handbags)	Stain
Home Decor (decorative pillows, duvet covers, and tabletops)	Knit	Stain
Commercial Usage (restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, business offices, showrooms, private jets, theaters, convention halls, opera houses, etc)	Scrim	Flame, Stain, UltraViolet

Tufted silk sofa. Silk fabric has been knit backed and protected with the eco-friendly GreenShield® Stain Protection

Knit Backing

Create one-of-a-kind upholstered home décor.

Silk fabrics are delicate by nature and need to be strengthened for upholstery, window treatments, interior-decorating and fashion accessory purposes. Knit backing adds the necessary body, resiliency, and strength to the silk without changing the original appearance of the fabric. Our proprietary processes overcome the traditional challenges of backing silk fabrics and far exceed the industry standards allowing unparalleled grain straightness and stability while providing our customers with a wrinkle free product. We can even back embroidered, beaded, and embellished silks.

Fabric covered walls with Paper Backing

Paper Backing

Add a wow factor to your home with silk wallpaper!

Silk covered walls create a luxurious and couture effect unlike any other wall treatment. Our paper backing and stain protection will convert any of our silk fabrics into the perfect wallpaper. Some of the benefits of fabric-covered walls include sound absorption, insulation, wider widths (fewer seams!), and no direct damage to the walls.

Water droplets bead and roll right off of the stain protected silk fabric

Stain Protection

Protect your silk from spills and stains.

GreenShield is a permanent and environmentally friendly stain protection that is both water repellant and stain resistant. Unlike traditional stain protection, GreenShield is an inorganic nano-particle based finish that is LEED certified, formaldehyde free and VOC free.

Ultra-Violet Protection

Deter deterioration and fading from sunlight.

Provides natural protection from fading and discoloring over time. Like all natural fiber fabrics, prolonged exposure to sunlight can damage and fade silk over time. Our UV protection is a topical treatment that deflects the ultra-violet rays away from the fabric and will decrease ultra-violet transmittance by over 200%.

Flame Retardancy

Meet flammability standards for commercial applications.

Due to federal regulations, fabrics that are used commercially in places such as hotels, convention halls, schools, theaters, and cruise ships are often required to pass common tests for flame retardancy. Our fire protection technology will ensure that your fabrics will meet or exceed even the most stringent flammability requirements without compromising the quality or durability of the fabric.