Bourette silk has a natural, earthy, slightly knobbly texture in contrast to filament silk. This gives it good warmth for its very light weight and it is still soft on the skin.
The mulberry leaves which form the diet of the Bombix Mori silkworm are organically grown, and the combination of the high-quality diet, the best silkworm and traditional community skills creates excellent silk. All silk is excellent for the skin - it's gentle, insulating and breathable, and known for generations and across cultures as the ideal next-to-the-skin layer.
This silk is "bourette" silk which is a spun silk. It does not have the silky-smooth shiny quality of filament silk (we also have filament silk clothes for your family). Bourette silk has a more "earthy" feel and texture, often described as rustic with a subtle sheen. After the finest silk is harvested, the bits that remain are collected, combed and spun together into a the Bourette silk fibre. Bourette silk is often used for women's clothes and baby clothes, as it has a lovely texture and is good for the skin.
The silk of this garment is not only organic but biodynamic silk. A Demeter advisor worked with the group researching compost, plant-based preparations and efficient management following biodynamic guidelines and the projects have been very successful.
We also value the emphasis the Sichuan Alkena projects have placed on community and social responsibility. For example, fixed prices and supply contracts are in place to avoid exploitation and ensure stability. The organically-grown mulberry bushes flourish on less productive land, and so the business brought in by the project brings economic benefits without displacing land set aside for food crops. Environmentally, the project is encouraging biodiversity and has already planted hundreds of fruit trees and over 5000 other trees alongside the mulberry bushes.
So this silk is not only high quality, nurturing and healthy for your skin, but is making a positive difference in the world.
Silk is excellent for the skin - it's gentle, insulating and breathable and has been used for generations and across cultures as the ideal next-to-the-skin layer and Alkena's organic mulberry silk is simply the best. Moreover, the poppers used by Alkena are nickel-free! Find out more about Alkena and its impact on the region where the silk is grown, read our Alkena blog post.
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