Silk Bedding Direct are well known for producing the very best quality silk mattress toppers, silk duvets and silk pillows available today. Click on your bed size below to find out more....
SILK BROCADE
Silk brocade is a heavy, very luxurious and beautiful fabric, richly woven with coloured threads, often with gold or silver threads added. Silk is made into many different types of fabric, but brocade is at the pinnacle of all of them. The patterns woven into brocade which was to be used for clothing were usually of flower designs. Pieces of silk brocade have been found in China dating from the first century BC.
Silk brocade often gives the effect of being embroidered with a raised design and this effect is caused by the addition of an extra weft thread. Its English language name is derived from the Italian `broccato`, meaning `embossed cloth` and both words share the same root from the word `broccoli`.
Initially silk brocade was worn only by the rich and important. Until Byzantine times silk was known only to the Chinese, but even when the knowledge of silk production spread to the west, silk brocade was so expensive that only the rich could afford it. Besides being used for clothing, silk brocade was also used for traditional Chinese paintings and rich wall hangings, and outside China with pictures of Christian, Persian or Indian stories woven into the fabric and sometimes decorated with precious stones.
During the Middle Ages sumptuous gowns of silk brocade would be worn only by wealthy noblewomen, their men folk wearing silk damask waistcoats.
By the time of the Italian Renaissance in the 15th century, Italy had greatly improved on the technique of spinning silk damask. It is thought that there had been great improvements to the spinning machines used. So much so that, at this time, Italy became the leading manufacturer of silk damask in Europe, producing fabrics of great beauty and complexity.
By the 18th century, silk damask was more widely used, with upper and middle class women now being able to afford this luxury as a regular part of their wardrobe for both dresses and shoes. However, by the 19th century silk brocade had gone out of fashion and much less was worn.
In modern times silk brocade is still an expensive fabric, used for wedding dresses and ball gowns. It is also often used for high class curtains and draperies.At Silk Bedding Direct we use only the very best silk to produce our extremely comfortable and hypoallergenic duvets.
Find out more about by clicking on your bed size here.....
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"This duvet is real luxury. So thin and light and yet it drapes beautifully over you. This makes it easier to change the duvet cover as well. The hand stitching does a great job, warm and no cold air pockets when sleeping. This is my second purchase, bought the pillows last time." |
"Lovely, comfortable duvet. Nice and light. Really perfect. I have slept much better since I have been using it. No more sweating or feeling too hot or too cold. Highly recommend it, and a nice company to deal with." |
"Lovely material, and very well made. Does all that it claims to do to give comfortable sleep. A happy customer!" |
"I've purchased the summer & spring/fall duvets and four pillows to go with them. It’s so cozy in bed now, really changed our nights. I highly recommend your silk-filled bedding, really pleased I found this great product. Fast shipping too." |
"I just want to let you know how pleased I am with my silk duvet, it's so so warm and comfortable yet so light, thank you." |
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