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.
