Silk, as a fiber, is breathable because it allows air to flow through it. Fabrics made with silk fibers can have different silk weights and weave patterns that affect their breathability. Nevertheless, all types of silk fabric have a high level of breathability.
What is Breathable Fabric?
A breathable fabric allows air to move through it, keeping clothing produced from it from heating up or becoming uncomfortable. It is suitable for hot weather or during exercise or an attribute to look for in active wear.
Breathable fabric helps keep you cool by allowing the warmth from your body to evaporate or enabling cooler air to move in. As it turns out, the quantity of air that a fabric lets pass through it varies greatly, which might affect your comfort and performance.
Factors that Determine How Breathable a Fabric is
Several factors contribute to how breathable fabric is; they include:
Fabric Construction
Materials made of tighter knits or weaves are less breathable. In contrast, fabrics made of more open knits or looser weaves are the most breathable. To check your fabric construction, lift it to the light and observe how much light goes through; more light equals more breathability.
Fiber Weight
Lightweight, breathable fabrics can help with sweat reduction. Quick-drying materials go one step further by utilizing the body’s built-in cooling system to drain moisture away from the skin.
Air Ventilators
Some garments, particularly sun-protective items, have thoughtfully positioned panels for proper air ventilation.
What is Breathable Silk?
Silk is a natural fabric produced by silkworms. The silkworm feeds on mulberry leaves and spins its cocoon out of silk fibers. Once the moth has left its cocoon, the fibers are steamed and spun into silk. Manufacturers make silk from beetles, honey bees, bumblebees, hornets, weaver ants, and other insects.
Mulberry silk is the most common type of silk, accounting for about 90% of the world’s silk production. Mulberry silk comes from mulberry silkworms that only eat the leaves of white mulberry trees native to China. This type of silk is white, odorless, hypoallergenic, and feels luxurious on the skin.
How Breathable is Mulberry Silk?
Asides from being very popular, mulberry silk is the most breathable type of silk. It can drain moisture away twice as quickly, lowering humidity, whether it is in the form of clothing or bedding. You can count on staying cozy, dry, and hydrated when you choose this silk option.
Mulberry silk also regulates your body temperature, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. What mechanism does it use to accomplish this? The heat remains because the air is trapped in the spaces between the silk threads, forming an isolation barrier. Silk is naturally permeable and absorbent, so when heated, this aids in keeping you cool.
Why Pick Silk for Hot Weather?
Silk keeps your body cool with its breathability and temperature-regulating properties. It does not easily stick to the skin, keeping you dry and fresh. Silk is soft, comfortable, and feels luxurious on the skin, making it a much-loved fabric worldwide.
These unique characteristics of silk make it a popular choice for summer clothing and fashion accessories such as scarves, stoles, hair bands, and face masks. Silk is also used in home linen fabrics, such as bed sheets and pillowcases. In hot weather, silk bed sheets and pillowcases keep your body cool even at night and allow you to rest easily when it’s hot outside.
Is Silk as Breathable as Cotton?
No, silk is not as breathable as cotton. Despite being breathable and comfortable in hot summers, silk still doesn’t compare to cotton, and it’s not even close. Cotton’s natural fiber structure and absorbent qualities are the key reasons for its highly breathable nature. It even outranks other fabrics like wool or polyester.
Read more: What is cotton gauze fabric?