Wild Silk Bed End 001

Wild Silk — Functional Textile Art

Created from the ground up as a piece of functional textile art, this wild silk throw was developed in close collaboration with the mill for an interior design project.

Wild silk differs from conventional cultivated silk in the way it is sourced. The silkworms live and feed naturally, and are allowed to complete their life cycle and naturally hatch before the cocoons are harvested. The remaining cocoons are then transformed into yarn using a traditional, highly skilled technique developed to work with the naturally irregular fibres.

This gives wild silk its distinctive character — a beautifully irregular yarn with natural variations in texture, subtle slubs and a depth that comes from the fibre itself. Rather than trying to eliminate these variations, they become part of the beauty of the finished textile.

I worked closely with the mill throughout the development, beginning with the selection of the wild silk yarn and continuing through the weave structure, colour and finishing process. Even the degree of clipping after weaving and the softening of the cloth were carefully considered to achieve the particular surface and handle I wanted.

The colours were intentional, chosen specifically for the interior it was created for. The 300cm length was equally considered, allowing the textile to fall generously and create an architectural drape across a bed or daybed. Each end is finished with 20cm of hand-knotted fringe, adding movement, texture and styling drama.

The cloth is hand woven, with approximately one week required to weave just 10 metres. From the initial development through to the completed textile, the entire process took approximately two months.

The result is a textile made slowly and deliberately — artful enough to stand alone, yet created to be used, draped and lived with.