About Silk Fibre

Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fibre of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). For thirty-five days after it has hatched from the eggs laid by its parent moth, the caterpillar, normally referred to as a silkworm, spends its time eating the leaves of a mulberry tree. It then, in the course of two or three days’ spinning, surrounds itself in a cocoon which consists of a continuous and very fine filament of silk. The silkworm then turns itself into a moth, which escapes by making a hole through the cocoon.

Each cocoon produces a filament up to 975 yards in length. In our ties seven of these super-fine filaments are twisted together into one thread. The silk threads are then woven into cloth.

Silk is a very strong fibre, being stronger than a steel filament of the same diameter.

The most important properties of silk, from a clothing viewpoint, are its wonderful lustre, its fineness and its pleasantness when handled.

Foster Barry Silk

The silk thread used in Foster Barry ties is made and dyed in England, principally from Chinese raw silk.

The thread is dyed using a ‘Pure Dye’ method. ‘Pure Dye’ means that no artificial additives have been added to the yarn to weight the thread. The wholly pure dye combination gives unsurpassed quality, handle and balance. It also gives a lustrous finish and a special, almost audible, ’crunch’ to the silk. The weight and lustre of the fabric is achieved simply by virtue of the yarn itself. Our supplier’s dye-house utilizes diamond / electrolysis technology to render effluent safe and ‘green’.

The silk fabric used in Foster Barry ties is woven in England

Foster Barry ties are made from an exclusive ‘350 End’ silk quality. There are 350 warp threads every inch, with each warp thread actually two threads twisted together to give improved strength, weight, texture and fall. A special seven ply mulberry silk in used in the weft.