SILK / RAYON THREAD

DESCRIPTION:

At Artipistilos, we love contributing to making your hat and headpiece designs come to life. That's why we offer you the best materials, such as silk thread and rayon thread.

In this section of our online store, you'll find thread spools for sewing of both types (10-meters, 108-meters, and up to 1-kilometer lengths) as well as a huge variety of colors. See for yourself and find your ideal sewing thread!

WHAT IS SILK THREAD?

Silk thread is a natural fiber produced by a specific type of worm while spinning the cocoons in which they undergo metamorphosis.

These animals have specific glands that secrete a viscous liquid which, when in contact with air, solidifies and forms extremely fine and flexible threads. In this case, the larvae meticulously spin their cocoons using these threads.

While there are various types of arthropods that, technically, can produce silk (spiders, bees, ants, wasps, different species of moths...), none of them can be used to create the silk we all know.

The silk thread commonly used for making dresses comes from the larvae of the Bombyx mori moth, which is native to regions that are today known as China, India, Korea, Japan, and parts of Eastern Russia.

The weaving of silk first began in China around 3000 BC. Initially, only members of the Chinese imperial family could wear silk garments. However, due to its increasing use in Chinese culture, its production eventually spread around 1300 BC to other regions of the empire.

Silk quickly became a highly sought-after commodity thanks to its texture, sheen, and comfort. Its popularity was such that the first international commercial route in history, connecting the Far East, India, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, became known as the Silk Road.

The emperors of China tried to keep the silkworm breeding a secret in order to maintain their monopoly, but by around 200 BC, silkworm farms had appeared in Korea and India as well.

WHAT IS RAYON SILK THREAD?

Rayon silk thread is a synthetic fiber made from wood or cotton cellulose treated with sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide. The result of this process is a lightweight, fresh, soft, comfortable, and breathable fabric, making it very useful for hot and humid climates.

Depending on the variant, it can mimic the feel of silk and other fabrics (cotton, linen...). This is why rayon is known as artificial silk.

Rayon was the first artificially created fiber. It came about in 1884 and was invented by the French scientist Hilaire de Chardonnet. The formula underwent significant changes in the 1940s with the development of high tenacity rayon. In the 1950s, the most durable type of rayon, HWM or modal, was created.