1.Shantung, Duppioni, Raw silk
#1 of a 4 part series about the most popular silk fabrics used in wedding gowns. Today I will cover Shantung, Duppioni and raw silk. The different terms describe the treatment, weaving and spinning techniques of the silk fibers. Shantung and Duppioni can also be made from other fibers such as cotton or Polyester.
Silk Shantung is a kind of silk that was traditionally woven in the Shantung Province of China. It has a bit of texture from the fiber threads, which are spun with irregular thickness, giving it a nice natural look and feel. It has a soft sheen, without being too shiny. Shantung is one of the most popular fabrics for wedding dresses.
Silk Dupionni looks similar to silk Shantung but with more texture due to intentional irregularities in the fiber. Duppioni lends a more casual look to gowns, and so it is often a good choice for an informal wedding or for bridesmaids or Mother of the Occasion.
Raw silk has a completely different feel than other silk fabrics because it has not been degummed. This means that the sericin, which is a substance made from the silk moth that works as a natural protecting layer around the silk thread, has not been taken away. Raw silk feels slightly sticky, though it leaves no residue on the hand. For other silk fabrics this has been washed away giving the fabric a smoother touch. Shantung and Duppioni are not raw silks, though they are often mistakenly thought of as such.
