Silk is a natural protein fibre produced by silkworms. The silkworms feed on the leaves of mulberry trees for approximately 30 days before spinning their silken cocoons. Due to mulberry trees being mostly grown without exposure to pesticides, (pesticides can harm the silkworms) and on marginal lands that can’t be used for crops, the sericulture process utilises far less land, energy and chemicals than synthetic fabrics. These ultra-soft fibres are then harvested from the cocoon, boiled in hot water, and stirred until they unravel.
Image by Marissa Maximo via Anaak
Silk garments further promote sustainability through the absence of microplastics. Unlike silk, synthetic fabrics release tiny pieces of microplastics into the air and wastewater systems, and from there into our rivers and oceans. Washing just one load of synthetic clothes results in the shedding of millions of microplastics into our environment. To best care for your BIA & ZELUS Helios Shirt and the environment, we highly recommend going to an organic dry cleaner, otherwise known as a chemical-free dry cleaner.
Image by Marissa Maximo via Anaak
As for the end-of-life stage for silk, it is entirely biodegradable and takes approximately 1- 5 years to decompose in comparison to polyester which can take up to 200 years. This means that if it does end up in landfill, it will most likely not outlive you like many other materials.