We covered protein fibers which is anything that originated with an animal or insect. Next we will talk about cellulose fibers.

Cotton

Cotton lint is the surrounding material for the seeds of the cotton plant. Cotton comes in hundreds of varieties and dozens of natural colors. It is a fine-diameter cellulose fiber that is fairly short, with individual fibers ranging from ½ inch to 2 ¼ inches in length. The longer Pima, Egyptian and Sea Island fibers are the luxury standard for cotton. Most of the cotton grown for household uses in the United States is Acala, a short, fine, shiny fiber with little natural wax.

Cotton requires a long, hot growing season with plentiful rainfall. These growing requirements made cotton a ‘luxury’ fiber until the invention of the cotton gin in the late eighteenth century. It’s hard to believe that this staple of our day-to-day clothing was ever more expensive than wool or linen. Cotton wicks moisture away from the skin, making it an ideal fiber choice for hot climates and seasons.

Flax/Linen, Hemp and Nettle

Flax is the name of the plant from which linen thread is derived. Hemp and nettle are becoming more common, but are still not yarns you’ll find at the usual local hobby shop. These are the longest of the natural fibers except for silk. Individual fibers range from the very fine fibers of plants grown in rich soil to very coarse fibers from plants grown in poor soils. Linen especially is easy to grow in almost any region. Many people plant flax in gardens just for the lovely blue flowers, and don’t even know that they have a good source of fiber along with the flowers. These are some of the longest-lasting fibers.

All three fibers are cool, wicking moisture away from the body and drying quickly. Linen, especially, is quite absorbent, able to retain more than four times its weight in liquid.

Nettle is absolutely the finest of these fibers, but is also the most costly. It is difficult to grow, difficult to process, and large amounts of plant materials are required to make a small amount of yarn. It is, however, almost as shiny as silk and quite fine in diameter. It is the supplest of the bast fibers as well, and the drape of a nettle fabric will be similar to silk.

Linen is next, with the best linen fibers rivaling nettle for fineness. Linen comes in many grades, and you’ll want to shop carefully.

Hemp is becoming more and more popular. It isn’t as costly as either of the other two, probably because it is the easiest of the three to process. Don’t make the mistake of thinking all hemp is like that used for teenagers’ beaded bracelets. High-quality hemp yarns are smooth, supple and shiny, almost identical to line linen of the same weight.

Now that you have the scoop on cellulose fibers, we’ll talk about Man-made fibers next.

Silk is the other protein fiber. Silk is the continuous filament extruded by bombyx mori to form the cocoon in which the larvae transforms into the adult moth. Various elementary and middle-school children have described this as gross; I find it quite fascinating. Bombyx mori are native to all continents, and their favorite food is mulberry leaves. However, the species must survive, and so the larvae will feed on almost any available foliage. The type of foliage determines the color of the cocoon, and the strength of the fiber extruded for that cocoon. Mulberry leaves make for the whitest, finest cultivated silk fiber.

Silk doesn’t felt, and should be washed in the same way as wool fibers unless the dyes used on the yarns are not color-fast. In that case you’ll want to hand wash and rinse in cool water and mild soap, finishing with a splash of vinegar in the final rinse. Hang or lie flat to dry, depending on the weight of the fabric. Silk will stretch in a looped fabric, so make large swatches and hang for a day or so before measuring.

Hypoallergenic

Silk-filled comforters are naturally hypoallergenic. The silk fillings contain sericin, which is mold and mildew resistant. Along with sericin and other natural properties, silk-filled comforters draw out moisture and release it through the comforter.

Silk comforters are 100% natural without any chemicals involved in processing the silk. They’re perfect for those with allergies.

Down Alternative

Silk comforters are great alternatives to any down, natural fiber, or conventional polyester-filling comforters. Unlike other comforters, silk comforters are neither bulk nor thick. The king-sized winter-weight comforter is less than an inch thick, yet it provides enough warmth for those cold winter nights.

Additionally, silk does not seep through comforter covers like traditional down bedding. It is odorless provided one or two air-outs a year (see Care Instructions for details) and will never leave unsightly feathers around your house.

Lightweight

Silk comforters are the lightest comforters on the market. Imagine sleeping through the night without ever feeling weighed down. It’s impossible with traditional comforters, but an everyday experience with silk.

Silk comforters are also very suited for use by children. Their lightweight nature allows for a warm rest without the sheets being kicked off. The end result is a good night’s rest for both the parent and the child.

Soft and Contouring

Silk comforters contain the softest and fluffiest silk available. There’s nothing more comfortable than wrapping yourself in a silk comforter and letting your tensions melt away.

Air Permeable

There’s nothing but the finest layers of Mulberry silk in an Silk comforter. A standard winter-weight comforter is composed of more than 150 silk layers. Each layer is carefully stretched and placed by hand to provide easier airflow. Silk also has a natural ability to help regulate temperature. Because of this, body heat is retained during the colder months and released during the warmer months

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The more that down is allowed to loft, the better its ability to insulate and breathe. The best constructions maintain an even distribution of down yet allow the sleeper to adjust the comforter to their liking.

In sewn-through comforters, two outer layers of fabric are stitched together in a quilted pattern. This construction is best for lightweight down comforters because it keeps the down from shifting, but it does not allow for maximum loft. It is sewn through where a stitch goes from the top of the comforter direct through the comforter and emerges on the bottom of the comforter. It can keep the down in place and is a more economical form of construction than baffle box construction.

A baffle is a wall of fabric perpendicular to the top and bottom layers of the comforter fabric. A baffled construction features fabric walls sewn between the top and bottom of the comforter cover, which both prevents the down from shifting and allows the down to fully loft, thus providing more insulation and warmth. In other words, baffles help to give comforters the appearance of depth. Baffle box construction is of a higher quality than sewn-through stitching

User Tip: To keep the down in place the best, look for “true baffle box” or “closed baffle box” or “end-to-end” baffle construction. These indicate that the baffle boxes are fully sealed as opposed to being partially open. Partially open boxes may allow some down movement from box to box. Closed boxes do not permit the down to move.