photo above: 60% silk/40% retted bamboo combed top/sliver
We have so many lovely and unique silks on www.treenwaysilks.com that it's easy to miss something! [See photo in the gallery below to show the navigation path to our silk-blend combed tops.]
One hidden gem is our silk/ bamboo combed top/sliver. This naturally white blend is 60% bombyx silk (aka "mulberry silk") and 40% retted bamboo. The fiber length is 5-6 inches.
Most bamboo that you find today is extruded, like rayon. Extruding produces a very silky fiber, but is a very environmentally-unfriendly process.
Our bamboo is retted, similar to how linen is processed. The bamboo “stems” are crushed for processing. Bamboo is composed of 20% starch, which is broken in an alkaline solution before processing the fiber. The retted processing gives a crisp, linen-like feel to our silk blend.
What's great about Bamboo?
The bamboo fiber is filled with micro gaps and holes. These openings enable bamboo to absorb and evaporate perspiration quickly, making it cool, breathable, anti-bacterial and good summer wear.
There are over 1,000 types of bamboo, which grow worldwide. It is a renewal resource that is extremely fast growing, ready for harvest in 1-4 years, generates more oxygen than trees and is exceptionally hardy, tolerating drought and drowning.
The fiber is easy to straighten and spin with good tensile strength and abrasion that dyes easier than cotton.
Why Blend Silk with Bamboo?
Blending bamboo with silk brings a cool and crisp almost papery feel to the silk while softening the bamboo. And, bamboo fiber is able to absorb and evaporate perspiration quickly, making it cool, breathable, anti–bacterial and good summer wear.
