Properties of Silk
Silk is known to possess many properties
that makes it useful for manufacturing a number of products including
garments, cushion covers, mats, table cloth, etc. Some of the important
properties are:
- Strength: Silk is the strongest
natural fiber. The continuous length of the filaments provides
greater strength.
- Elasticity: The elasticity of silk
varies and it can be stretched from 1/7 to 1/5 than its original
size. The fiber does not sag much.
- Resilience: Silk has a high
resilience, and therefore resist wrinkling and also retain its
shape. Fabrics made from short-staple spun silk have less
resilience.
- Absorbency: Silk has good
absorbency, contributing to its comfort in a warmer atmosphere. The
fiber can absorb about 11 percent of its weight in moisture. This
property helps to print and dye the fiber easily.
- Heat Conductivity: Silk is a
protein fiber and also a non conductor of heat. It can be used for
manufacturing winter wear and often blended with other fibers to
manufacture high quality home furnishings.
