Silk is a beautiful protein fibre made from the toil of silkworms which according to the International Year of Natural Fibres (2009) is known as the queen of fibres in China where most of it is produced.

After all the effort and energy that goes into producing the fibre, it is a shame to see it go to waste. That’s why I always enjoy rescuing reject silk garments in op shops – including a pink/cream silk shift recently bought for $3.

The dress was a bit the worse for wear, with the fibres appearing torn around the arms and neck, perhaps having been put through a harsh washing cycle. Although the washing instruction labels on silk often say dry-clean only, I’ve found hand or gentle-washing to be perfectly OK (sometimes shrinkage may be an issue though).   Continue reading →