What is mulberry silk?

We usually use the word ‘silk’, but silk is too general. Usually mulberry silk, rayon, vegetable fiber silk and other raw materials are called silk. Real silk, Tencel and other textiles are also called silk. As a result, many businesses take advantage of this misconception to peddle fake mulberry silk products.

So what exactly is mulberry silk? Not everyone knows exactly what ‘mulberry silk’ means. We feel it is important to clarify this issue for those who like silk products. And to help people in the purchase is to distinguish between real and fake mulberry silk.

What is mulberry silk?

Mulberry silk is a raw material that has not been subjected to the weaving process. Mulberry silk is the silk spit out by the mulberry silkworm that feeds on mulberry leaves. The mulberry silkworm grows on the silkworms mulberry tree. Mulberry silk is white in color, delicate and smooth to the touch, and is the main raw material for silk manufacturing. Mulberry silk is widely considered to be the highest quality silk on the planet. It is known to be the longest, strongest and purest color. In fact, a single mulberry silk can be unraveled nearly a mile long. These strong, intact fibers make the material smoother and softer when woven.

Mulberry silk is rich in protein and similar to human skin, making it hypoallergenic, dust mite resistant and non-irritating to the skin. Mulberry silk fabrics also have a unique structure that wicks away moisture and regulates body temperature. Nowadays, mulberry silk is used in industrial and medical applications. 

In the past, items made of mulberry silk were very expensive. But now, they are commonly used.

Where does mulberry silk come from?

In 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, China began to raise silkworms, take silk, weaving silk. By the Shang Dynasty, silk production has taken shape, with a high level of craftsmanship, with sophisticated looms and weaving techniques.

What is mulberry silk made of?

Silk fiber is a protein fiber, silk gum and silk pigment are its main components, of which silk pigment accounts for about 3/4 and silk gum accounts for 1/4. Silk gum and silk pigment are composed of 18 amino acids, containing about 97% of pure protein. Silk gum is a spherical protein with good water solubility, and the silk will be dissolved in hot water to degum refining, which is the use of this property of silk gum. Since the amino acid composition of silk gum and silk pigment is different, silk pigment is a fibrin and silk gum is a globular protein.

Uses of mulberry silk

Mulberry silk is often used as a filler in quilts. It can be used as a filler instead of down. It has the same warmth as down, but does not cause allergies. At Heartcosy Silk, we offer 100% natural mulberry silk comforter, including silk cooling comforter, silky comforter all seasons, organic silk comforter winter. They have different weights, but all are filled with high quality mulberry silk.

Mulberry silk is also spun into fabrics for clothing, silk bedding and accessories. Silk products are more expensive, such as silk four-piece sets. But if you want to improve the quality of your sleep and want to use silk products, try a silk eye mask. It has good light blocking properties and does not feel a bit different when it touches your skin.

Of course, if you have sensitive skin, there are also products like mulberry silk masks that you can learn about and try.

The health benefits of using mulberry silk comforters

Silk quilt can effectively prevent the emergence of colds and flu, and also increase the quality of sleep. If the skin is more prone to allergies, silk quilt can also play an anti-allergic effect, and at the same time, it can also achieve a good effect of preventing rheumatism and relieving asthma diseases.

1. Prevention of colds: If the body resistance in ordinary life is weak, often a cold, will lead to discomfort, because after sleeping will lead to a drop in body temperature, so will be prone to, cold silk quilt among more silk volume gap if the temperature is relatively low, can effectively reduce heat transfer, if the weather is hot, and can discharge excess heat, so you can prevent colds.
2. Promote sleep: The main component of the silk quilt is the silk gum component that can release many sleep factors, so it will increase the quality of sleep at night when sleeping, and can also effectively delay the appearance of aging.
3. Prevent allergies: If the weather is dry in autumn and winter, the skin may lack moisture, resulting in itchy skin, silk quilts have better moisturizing properties, so it can reduce allergies.
4. Prevention of rheumatism and relief of asthma: silk quilt can play a comfortable effect, and at the same time can prevent the appearance of joint diseases, silk quilt has more natural fibers, can prevent allergic rhinitis, so it can relieve asthma.

Mulberry silk vs. down vs. cotton vs. wool

1. Mulberry silk

The best silk quilt is made of 100% mulberry silk. The texture is soft and snug, moisture-absorbing and breathable, and it is very light to cover the body, not to feel pressed by heavy objects, but also to prevent mites, bacteria, and is very friendly to people with sensitive skin and children. In addition to the price is more expensive, silk quilt can not be wrong.

2. Down

Down is divided into goose down and duck down. Its warmth is particularly good, and it is very comfortable to cover in autumn and winter. It is filled with two kinds of materials, duck down or goose down. Among them, goose down has a better texture than duck down, but it is also more expensive. The down comforter material is light and fluffy, and there is almost no pressure on the body. The down is easy to float down, if accidentally inhaled, it will cause breathing discomfort and even coughing.

3. Cotton

Cotton can be used by a wide range of people, both young and old. It has many advantages, in addition to warmth and breathability is particularly good, the texture is also soft and skin-friendly, the price is also very affordable. However, the general degree of warmth of the cotton quilt needs enough density to be able to, resulting in weight is often not light, covered in the body easy to produce a sense of pressure.

4. Wool

Wool has no less than 40% of the natural elasticity, its fiber curl, the fit is also very strong, after being pressed can also quickly restore more than 90% of the original thickness, continue to maintain a good state of fluffy soft, rather than become stiff. In addition, wool's excellent moisture absorption and wicking ability allows it to use its unique molecular structure to draw water vapor into the hollow structure and successfully absorb more than 35% of its own weight in water vapor, making it especially suitable for people who tend to sweat and suffer from rheumatism. However, because of this quality, wool is susceptible to moisture.

How to distinguish between real and fake mulberry silk?

1. luster and feel

Real silk looks elegant and soft, pearl luster, feel smooth and soft flowing, hand grasp will have wrinkles, the higher the purity, the greater the density of silk feel better; simulation of silk fabrics, although processed, feel softer, but the silk surface is dark, no pearl luster; chemical fiber fabric luster bright, blinding, feel stiffer. The silk fabric has two layers for friction, slightly scraping the feel of the hand.

2. Burning

Take out part of the yarn threads for burning, silk can not see the open fire, there is the smell of burning hair, indicating that there are protein fibers, silk ash into black particles, can be crushed by hand; simulation of silk fire, plastic smell, the edge of the fire will leave a hard block of rubber.

3. 84 disinfectant

You can try to use 84 disinfectant to identify the real silk. 84 disinfectant is mainly composed of sodium hypochlorite, encountering protein fibers will produce a chemical reaction of dissolution. Take a little silk fiber into the 84 disinfectant, if all dissolved, then you can determine that it is real silk. Use this method should pay attention to control the specific gravity, if the amount of 84 disinfectant is not enough, the concentration did not reach, or some fabric structure is close, it may not be dissolved.

4. Rub to listen to the sound

When dry fabrics rub against each other, silk fabric in the friction will emit a unique sound, while chemical fiber fabrics and other raw materials of the fabric do not.

5. Price

One hundred percent real silk fabric is relatively expensive, about twice as much as chemical fiber and imitation silk fabrics. But not expensive one is real silk, this is only a recognition factor, or combined with the luster, feel and other comprehensive identification judgment.

6. Hangtags and wash marks

Silk clothing fabric fiber composition labeling, for example: 100% silk, 100% silk, etc., these labeling components are incorrect, "silk" to specifically label mulberry silk or wild silk, etc., because the price difference between each silk.

Care tips for mulberry silk comforter

1. You should dry it before use

The silk quilt has air holes and moisture when you first get it back, so you can't take it to bed right away, but you should find a ventilated place to dry it, so that the moisture inside the silk quilt is evaporated and we can use it again. At the same time, this will also increase the fluffiness of the silk quilt, sleeping more comfortable.

2. Moisture-proof

Silk quilt should be placed in a ventilated and dry place, and not in a damp, sealed place. To avoid silk being damp and producing odor.

3. Can not be washed

Silk comforter can not be washed, if you need to wash, then use a small amount of water and special detergent for local cleaning. But heartcosy silk cooling comforter adopts washable process, you can choose gentle washing. silky comforter all season and organic silk comforter winter are not washable because of the more mulberry silk filling.

4. Put on the cover

Silk comforter can not be covered directly, you need to cover the comforter, which can prevent the silk comforter surface to accumulate too much dust.

About Heartcosy Silk

Heartcosy is a brand that specializes in producing high quality mulberry silk comforter. There are three star products: silk cooling comforter, silky comforter all season and organic silk comforter winter which are very popular. Each product is filled with 100% high quality mulberry silk, which can effectively improve your sleep quality.

Above is my detailed introduction of mulberry silk. You should understand how to distinguish real and fake mulberry silk and how to take care of silk comforter, I hope this will help you to buy mulberry silk products in the future.