Types of Silk

36 Best Types of Silk With Images For Different Texture

From antiquity to today, silk has ruled not only in fashion but politics and history. Silk is known for elegance and sophistication. Apart from its shine, it has many different attributes which set it apart from all other fabrics.

Silk has been used for hundreds and thousands of years back to the Indus Valley Civilization presented around 3000 BCE. Silk is a softer fabric, and it is resistant to moths and dust. Throughout the years, silk has been used for clothing and home furnishing items.

Types of silk
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Silk is a natural fiber produced by silkworms that are kept in captivity. There are other insects also which produce silk, but the silk which is produced by silkworms is used for clothing.

China is considered one of the largest silk producers, followed by India. The silk of India stands out in the textile market and is used for making a diverse range of textiles that meet the needs of various people. Indian sarees made from silk fabric are famous around the world. 

With its mesmerizing shine and appearance, silk has been enticing people for a long time. In this guide, we have covered varieties of silk and types of silk fabrics weaved from that.

10 Different Types of Silk With Spectacular Design Ideas

Types of silk fabric
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Have you ever wondered that not all silk is made on an equal basis? Silk can be categorized based on various factors. 

Different types of silk from silkworms have different varieties. Here is more information about different types of silk.

Wild Silk

Wild silk textiles
Image Source: Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere

Wild silk is another type of silk that is made from wild silkworms. The wild silkworms live on an oak moth rather than mulberry leaves. This silk is quite heavier than other silk types.

Wild silk is also known as Tussore or Tusser. There are different types of Tusser available such as Chinese Tusser silkworm Antheraea Pernyi Guerin, Indian tusser silkworm, and Japanese tusser silkworm. Another popular Honan silk is Chinese Tusser silk.

Muga Silk

Muga silkworms belong to the same Tasar silkworm category. This silkworm is found in Assam, India, and feeds on the leaves of soalu plants.

Muga silk is popular for its glossy yellow and golden brown color. Its high quality makes it ideal for making beautiful sarees and chaddars. These types of silk are limited in supply and are just used in Assam, India, to make clothes for royal families.

Eri Silk

Different types of silk
Image Source: Vajiram IAS

Eri silk is a different type of silk fabric that is produced from silkworm species known as Philosamia ricini. It feeds on castor oil plant leaves. 

Eri silk can be found in white or brick-red colors. Eri silk is durable silk, making it great for clothing and soft furnishing items.

Pure Silk

Pure silk is made from silk fibers that have been cleaned from the gum. No additives are included in pure silk to compensate for losing weight in cleaning and boiling the silk fibers. 

Pure is known as one of the finest and purest forms of silk.

Mulberry Silk

Mulberry silk
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Mulberry silk is one of the most used silk types. It accounts for almost 90% of the world’s supply. Many people refer to the term “silk” with mulberry silk

It is produced by the Bombyx mori silkworm, who feed on mulberry bushes. Mulberry silk is popular around the world, and it is most utilized in China, Korea, and Japan. The disadvantage of mulberry silk is that it might need extra care for maintaining its smooth and shiny texture.

Spider Silk

The silk fibers spun by spiders are pretty strong and even stronger than steel. It is one of the most challenging types of silk to make, as spiders can’t be bred just like silkworms. 

Spider silk is obtained from the Madagascan species, which includes Nephila Madagascarensis. The obtained fiber is then reeled around four to five times in a month from the abdominal segment. 

The expenses of producing spider silk are very high, and thus, it is not used for clothing. Spider silk is used for producing bulletproof vests, optical instruments, telescopes, and wear resistance clothes. The industrial possibilities of spider silk are yet to be explored.

Sea Silk

Sea silk fabric
Image Source: The Guardian

Sea silk is produced from long and silky filaments secreted by mussels. This silk is finer than all other silk and can keep you warm on winter days. 

This silk has been produced from Ancient Greece around the eighth century BCE. The effect of pollution has made it difficult to Source Sea silk. It is known as one of the most expensive types of silk on the planet.

Raw Silk

This silk fiber comes from a cocoon and is coated with some protective layer known as sericin or silk gum. These types of raw silk fabric are sort of stiff silk, and it is made without cleaning the gum.

Anaphe Silk

Anaphe silk
Image Source: Mississippi Entomological Museum

This silk is produced in central and southern African countries. Anaphe silk is made from a silkworm in the genus Anaphe that spins cocoons in a thin layer of silk. 

The fluff is turned into raw silk that is soft and luxurious. The fabric made from Anaphe silk is stronger than mulberry silk. These types of silk fabric are used for making seat covers and velvet.

Coan Silk

This silk is obtained from the Pachypasa atus’ larvae that can be found in Mediterranean regions such as Greece, Turkey, and Italy. This silk type was used in making crimson-dyed garments that dignitaries in Rome wore. 

This silk type is not produced nowadays due to limited results and the demand for superior silk variety. Coan silk can be mixed with other silk varieties to produce more durable and stronger fabric.

12 Different Types of Silk Fabric Available in the Textile Industry

Different types of silk textiles
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Silk is made from different types of silkworms. All types of silk fabrics have different qualities and features that make them ideal for specific garments. 

Here is a guide to the most sought-after different types of silk fabric.

Brocade

What are the different types of silk
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Brocade is a type of rich silk fabric. It is woven in a Jacquard pattern on a heavyweight or satin base. It is one of the strongest, heart-wearing, and luxurious silk fabrics. 

In the past, silk brocade was woven with different types of silk threads, such as silver and gold. Sometimes it is adorned with precious and cost-effective stones and embroidery. Brocade is used for making home furnishing items, types of wedding dresses, and jackets.

Charmeuse (Silk Satin)

Charmeuse is a soft and medium-weight silk fabric woven with a satin weave. It is a satin-ish and luxurious type of silk fabric that can give a nice drape to clothes. 

Charmeuse has a luxurious shine on one side of the fabric and a dull matte finish on the other side of the fabric. The high quality of Charmeuse makes it perfect for making delicate scarves, dresses, blouses, and lingerie.

Crêpe de Chine

Ivory silk crepe de chine
Image Source: Pinterest

This is a different type of silk fabric that is floaty and soft. It is a plain weave fabric with a muted luster and unique crimped look. 

In this fabric, some parts of fibers are twisted clockwise and some counterclockwise. The twisted fibers can give crêpe its unique look. 

This fabric has two more varieties, such as Crêpe georgette and Moroccan Crêpe. Since it is a lightweight fabric, it is ideal for making summer dresses, camisole tops, blouses, and lingerie.

Fuji Silk

Another medium-weight and cost-effective silk fabric is Fuji silk. This silk fabric has a soft luster and excellent drape, and it is a wrinkle-resistant and durable fabric. It was first made in Japan.

Georgette

Silk georgette fabric
Image Source: ZS Fabrics

Georgette is a sheer, lightweight silk fabric with a dull creped surface and grainy texture. This plain weave fabric is durable and made with twisted yarns. Georgette fabric is named after a French designer Georgette de la Plante.

Georgette is a heavy fabric that carries the same characteristics as Chiffon. When you learn to sew this fabric, you have to be extra careful as it snags with ease. Georgette is used for making blouses, dresses, scarves, and evening gowns.

Chiffon

Chiffon is a soft, sheer, and elegant fabric that comes with a rough gauze-like texture. This lightweight, matt fabric is made from fine twisted yarns to make the fabric transparent. 

Chiffon is considered one of the best fabrics for layering and creating voluminous dresses. It is used for making scarves, shirts, and blouses. Chiffon comes in a variety of colors and prints. 

The thin, slippery, and flimsy look and feel of the fabric make it difficult to sew, and you will need some sewing thread types and tips to make it best. You can also check out some best sewing tips and tricks to deal with these sorts of issues.

Dupion Silk

Dupion silk fabric
Image Source: Unnati Silks

Dupion silk is strong, plain-weave, and double-thread silk that has a crisp textured look. It is made by weaving two different colors of yarns to produce a strong and durable fabric with a lustrous shine. 

The occasional black specks that appear on the sewing fabric are part of the original cocoon of the silkworm. If you remove them, then it will both weaken the fabric and damage its beauty.

An exciting look can be achieved by weaving two different colored threads called Shot silk. The lustrous colors of the Dupion silk and its eye-catching look make it an attractive fabric. 

Dupion silk is ideal for sewing clothes such as beautiful wedding dresses, evening wear, jackets, etc. You can also make some semi-fitted and loose-fitted dresses with this fabric. Check out these top 10 reasons to start sewing clothes for yourself.

Noil Silk

Noil Silk is a bulky silk fabric that has a nubby texture. This fabric is made from short fibers that are left after combining and carding. It is one of the reasons why it has less shine than other silk fabrics. 

The short fibers and many knots are used in weaving this fabric, resulting in slubs on the surface. Noil silk also looks like cotton fabric, but it is softer and has an excellent drape. 

This wrinkle-free silk fabric is often found in an off-white color so that you can distinguish it from all other types of silk fabric. Noil silk doesn’t show any pinholes, so you can use it for different types of corsets as well. 

It is easy to take care of and easy to sew fabric. Many brands provide care labels and woven labels to give you more ideas on the fabric and how to wash it.

Organza Silk

Organza silk fabric
Image Source: Contrado

Another lightweight, sheer, and open-weave fabric with a smooth sheen is organza silk. This fabric may look like silk gauze, but it is heavier and stiffer fabric. 

It is made of non-degummed plain woven silk, and the fine yarns make it a see-through silk fabric. Crisp and stiff, organza silk are types of clothing aesthetics for making curtains, veils, evening wear, and netting over beds. 

You can also learn some sewing hacks and use organza silk as a base to embellish another fabric.

Habotai

Habotai is a soft, lightweight, and plain-weave fabric that has a smooth and glossy finish. Habotai is also famous as Habutai, China silk, Pongee, etc. 

This classic silk fabric does not crease or get wrinkled. It is also known as Japanese silk since it was first used to line Kimonos. The weight of Habotai silk can vary, but you can find it from 5mm to 12mm. 

This is one of the best fabrics for making high-quality scarves, and all scarves weigh around 8mm.

Velvet

Types of silk
Image Source: Everything Silkworms

Velvet is a medium to heavyweight, luxurious silk fabric made with numerous wefts and warps. This fabric is soft and can give a beautiful drape with an excellent shine. 

In light, it can create significant effects. Different types of bra are made from velvet material. 

Shantung (Tussah Silk)

Shantung is a wild silk type produced by silkworms that feed on juniper and oak leaves. This lightweight and airy silk fabric comes from India and China

Indian silk has more luster to it. Just like Dupion silk, the texture and finish of this silk tend to be more irregular.

Shantung or Tussah silk is one of the most difficult to dye and thus, available in natural colors. It is excellent for making shirts, trousers, and dresses.

What Are the Different Types of Silk Mixes Available in the Market?

Types of raw silk fabric
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If you’re wondering “what are different types of silk and mixes” available in the market, then the options are unlimited. 

As the manufacturer sees the demand for new silk variants in the market, they start producing new silk types by mixing them with other fabrics. Here are some popular silk blends.

Silk Cotton

Silk cotton fabric
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Silk cotton mix is a soft and lightweight fabric. It is pretty difficult to sew since it has a cotton weave combined with a lustrous silk drape. 

Cotton silk blend is a pretty inexpensive silk fabric, and it is thicker than silk itself. This fabric has superior substances and is less slippery than silk because of its heavyweight.

Silk Wool

It is a medium-weight soft fabric that has properties of both fabrics such as wool and silk without any added weight, moisture absorption, breathability, and resistance to wrinkles. 

Many popular brands use Merino wool in making garments since it is one of the finest sheep wool fabrics available in the world. Merino wool is popular for its softness and shine, and when combined with silk, it can create another excellent silk type. 

The addition of Merino wool can provide maximum absorbent and breathability properties. This silk mix is dust resistant and wrinkle resistant. Silk wool is used for making premium suits and jackets.

Silk Cashmere

Cashmere silk dress
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Silk cashmere is a mixture of two of the most premium fabrics, such as silk and fine wool, that come from the cashmere goat. 

This luxurious and soft fabric contains fibers to interlock during processing. It has great insulation quality and retains the tiny air spaces trapped between fibers, making it warm and cozy.

Silk Linen

Another medium-weight silk mix fabric is used for creating premium fashion and apparel clothes. It is used for making silk cloth of various types such as skirts, dresses, suits, and trousers. 

The softness and crispness of the linen add extra sheen to the fabric. You need dry, clean, and warm iron to press clothes.

Silk Satin

Silk cloth of various types
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Silk satin has a smooth and glossy surface on one side and a dull surface on the wrong side. This satin-weave fabric can be woven in a variety of weights. 

It is often found in a striped pattern. This cheaper version of silk is made from synthetic fibers. Silk satin is used for making evening wear, jackets, and dresses. Different types of underwear for women are made from silk satin fabric. You can do gentle machine wash or hand wash at 40°C.

Silk Crêpe-backed Satin

Silk crêpe-backed satin is a light to medium weight fabric that comes with reversible sides, including satin as face and a crêpe as back. 

This fabric is sometimes made from types of polyester fabric or rayon. Since crêpe-backed satin drapes well, it is ideal for lingerie, dresses, and blouses. 

If you want to iron this fabric, then take cool iron and pressing cloth to iron on the wrong side of the fabric.

How Many Types of Silk Fabric Are There According to the Country?

How many types of silk fabric are there
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Silk is produced in different countries. All silk types found in different countries are beautiful in their own way and come with different properties.

If you want to know “how many types of silk fabric there are according to the country,” then read this simple guide.

Indian Silk

Indian silk
Image Source: Silk Sarees

India is famous for its beautiful and shiny silk fabric. Every Indian woman has many silk sarees in their wardrobe. 

They keep different types of silk in their closet to choose from. In the next session, we will see different types of renowned silks from India.

Thai Silk

Thai silk is similar to Shantung silk. This is a tightly woven, high-quality silk fabric that comes from Thailand.

Japanese Silk

Japanese silk fabric
Image Source: KCP International

Japanese silk is a lightweight and soft fabric which is available in beautiful patterns. Here are some beautiful silks that originate from Japan.

Chirimen Silk

This is crepe silk that has a unique crimped surface. Some of the different varieties of Chirimen silk are Futakoshi Chirimen, Hitokoshi Chirimen, and Kawari Muj.

Chichibu-meisen Silk

All types of silk fabric
Image Source: Kogei Japan

This is a double-sided decent silk fabric that comes with a beautiful pattern and prints.

Tsumugi Silk

Tsumugi silk has a rough texture, just like Tussah silk. It is a soft and lightweight fabric.

Kinsha Silk

It is known as fine crepe silk.

5 Different Types of Silk Fabric With Images – Indian Silk

Different types of Indian silk
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India is one of the best places where you will find some mesmerizing silk fabric. Indian ladies love shiny and glossy silk sarees. Every woman in India purchases different types of silk for different occasions.

If you’re wondering “how many types of silk Indian women keep,” then here is a simple guide for you on different types of silk fabric with images.

Banarasi Silk

Banarasi silk saree
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Banarasi silk is one of the famous silk across the world for its mesmerizing appeal. This is 100% mulberry silk made in the city of Varanasi, India which is situated on the banks of Ganga river. 

These shimmery and shiny golden zari yarns are sewn with silk threads to create flowers and Mughal-inspired designs all over the garment. Check hang tags before purchasing Banarasi silk sarees. 

Bhagalpuri Silk

This is a popular variety of tussar silk sarees. Bhagalpur is also known as the ‘Silk city of India. In this fabric, mulberry yarns are used to give an elegant look. 

Bhagalpuri silk is considered the queen of silk sarees and suits, which is preferred for festivals.

Kanchipuram Silk

Types of silk fabric with images
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This silk fabric is a pure form of mulberry silk which is made in Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu, India. Silk sarees made from Kanchipuram silk fabric are pretty heavy. 

You can identify this fabric by temple design and fantastic scenery from South Indian architecture.

Chanderi Silk

Another light-weight and crispy silk fabric is Chanderi silk. This sheer fabric is woven in Chanderi that can be found in Madhya Pradesh, India. 

Chanderi silk sarees and suits are popular among Indian women. It can give a rich and elegant feel to your look. If you’re wondering how to sew Chanderi silk suits with different types of textile fibers, you should get more information on sewing.

Assam Silk

What is assam silk
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Muga silk is a well-known type of silk from Assam. This silk is made from cocoons, which are obtained from wild moths. 

The best thing about Muga silk is that it becomes more shiner with every wash. Pat silk and Eri silk are other types of Assam silk.

So there, you have understood different types of silk fabric with images. Apart from the above listed Indian silk, there are other types of Indian silk such as Bangalore silk, Angora silk, Mysore silk, Kosa silk, Narayanpet silk, Khadi silk, Kora silk, etc.

Conclusion

In this guide, we’ve tried to cover different types of silk fabric with images. Silk is one of the most versatile natural fabrics which is used for different purposes.

Today, many variations are available in the market, and new silk blends come day by day. The above-listed are some of the best pure and blended silk variants that can never go out of the market.