First of all, it should be remembered that SILK is a MATERIAL and that TWILL is only a METHOD OF WEAVING silk.
Don't be mistaken when you read the term “fabric type” and think that it is the material the fabric was made from.
A type of fabric simply refers to a way of weaving a material.
For example, the fabric type “Silk Twill” means that the Silk was woven using weaving techniques called Twill.
If you only find the mention “Twill”, it could be a twill weave made from a material such as cotton, wool or even polyester.
Now that the distinction has been made between silk and twill, we will describe the characteristics of this type of weaving, its derivatives, the use that can be made of it, as well as the way of maintaining the fabrics which result.
Silk twill
The history of silk twill:
Silk twill was invented in Serica in Asia. It takes its name from the Latin “Serica” which means Silk.
Twill was once exclusively woven from silk. Following migratory movements, this armor spread across Europe and began to be woven from wool.
At the end of the 14th century, woolen twill became very popular in the colder countries of Europe. It was used to make sheets and quilts.
Making silk twill:
Twill weaving refers to all textiles in which we find oblique sides on the right side and a plain reverse.
To obtain this result, you must pass the horizontal weft thread below one or more warp threads, then over one or more warp threads, while shifting by one thread with each pass.
The characteristics of silk twill:
Silk twill is distinguished by its softness, its oblique stripes, and by its color which will be bright on one side, and darker on the other. This form of weaving gives the fabric a semi-matte appearance.
It is a thick and supple fabric at the same time.
The large quantity of threads used during weaving makes the fabric opaque. It does not crease easily, it is durable, and easy to maintain.
The different possible uses of silk twill:
Twill is particularly popular with major fashion houses. The Hermès house is also very famous for its twill silk squares.
This weaving technique can be used to make a variety of textiles, but the most common use made of it today is to make jeans.
Twill is a fabric that wrinkles very little and is very durable. It is therefore perfectly suited to everyday clothing such as work outfits, and for the design of sofa upholstery, cushions and bed linen.
It is also commonly used in making chinos, bags, ties and silk pocket squares.
Silk twill washing instructions:
To preserve their softness and beautiful, vibrant colors, it is recommended to wash silk twill fabrics by hand, or dry clean them.
Variants of the TWILL weaving technique
Twill is simply a weaving method. It has several derivatives which depend on the length of the threads used during weaving, their number, their thickness and the way in which they were woven.
The best-known derivatives of silk twill are 7 in number and are as follows:
1. Crossed twill: Very strong fabric that does not deform easily and has diagonals on both sides. The diagonals are in one direction on one side, and in the other direction on the other side.
2. Herringbone twill - Broken twill: Fabric with a distinctive V-shaped pattern.
3. French twill: Softer and more refined fabric than ordinary twill.
4. Twill: Soft fabric that can be recognized by its oblique stripes and its beautiful bright colors.
5. houndstooth: Fabric with small patterns in different colors.
6. Tweed: Irregular and rustic patterned fabric.
7. Worsted twill: Fabric made of combed yarns.
As you will have understood, weaving is an art that translates into diverse and varied forms. However, what must be remembered is that no matter the material used, a specific weaving technique will always give the fabric an almost similar appearance.
For example, a silk satin fabric will look very similar to a polyester satin fabric. The big difference will lie in the benefits that one material brings compared to another.
It is therefore important not to be fooled by the appearance of a fabric, and to always check the label of an item to find out the material from which it was woven.
Discover the benefits of silk
Discover the differences between cotton and silk