The short life of silk
Having acquired an array of pre-loved silk dresses, my eyes have been opened to a disheartening commonality. The wearability of the silk dress is short-lived.
The tragedy of silk:
It takes 5,500 silkworms to make one 1kg of raw silk. The “only way” to extract the silk from their cocoons is to boil them alive. If you weren’t aware of this awful truth, I’m sorry. With this newly informed guilt, purchasing a silk dress, top or skirt and wearing it once for a wedding seems like a careless waste.
The silk dress debut:
You’re at your best friend’s wedding (2 champagnes in). Upon catching a glimpse of an old school friend, you leap out of your seat and rush into a vigorous embrace. During the sit-down dinner, a runaway blueberry leaves a little spot on your lap – whoops! After the speeches (and a few more champagnes), you reignite your incredible dance moves that are only showcased on wonderful nights like this. Sweaty but smiling, you head home, and your silk dress is left slumped in a pile on the floor. One week and a thorough dry cleaning later, your dress is not quite the same. Unsure if you will wear it again, it hangs in your wardrobe as a living testament to a beautiful memory.
Photo by Mitchell Orr - Unsplash https://unsplash.com/@mitchorr
After carefully inspecting pre-loved silk pieces like this, I noticed 2 things:
The fragile nature of silk means the seams don’t hold up. The fibers start to separate and pull away from the stitching, leaving a small see-through gap at the seam and jeopardising the stability of the garment.
Silk and underarms don’t mix. Silk is so incredibly absorbent that it can hold up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling wet. This is a great thing on one hand but it’s also the reason I am seeing yellow stained underarms on the sleeves of these pre-loved items. It’s near impossible to restore the fabric to its original beauty so it forms an undesirable roadblock to the elusive long life of a silk dress.
This is why we must ReDesign! The pre-loved silk that already exists on this earth should be treated like a precious metal. ReDesigning it into something new, inspiring new wearability, the life of the silk dress is extended, and the wearer proudly displays a message of innovation and sustainability.
Seek the skills of a friend who sews or visit your local alterations lady for a professional silk makeover.
If you’re uncertain of what to do, why not pass it on? Whether you post an ad on Depop, eBay, or take your dress down to your local Vinnies, someone will welcome your silk dress with open arms and add new layers of memories to its sentimental value.