Is your Thai Silk Fabric Toxic?

Thai silk is a natural fabric. However, be aware that certain dyes and finishing processes may contain chemicals that could be harmful. Check out here to understand if your Thai silk is Toxic.

Thai silk is a natural fabric but the use of dyes and silk fabric finishing additives are major problem areas for people with chemical sensitivities.

At Thai silk Magic we pride ourselves on getting our natural dyes just right. It takes a lot of patience and hard work, many early mornings before the sun rises and very careful "cooking" and "mixing" of our ingredients to make sure we get the most natural colours AND a colour-fast result.

Impact of Chemical Dyes

• If you are chemically sensitive then many silk dyes and silk fabric finishes can cause health problems. This includes nausea, headaches, diarrhea and skin rashes
• The use of toxic chemicals in some Thai silk dyeing processes is to ensure that the dyes stick to the silk fibers and are color-fast.
• Dyes containing toxic chemicals have a major environmental impact.
• Synthetic dyes are flushed from garments using large volumes of water. This waste water cannot be returned to the rivers or sewers until it has been treated to remove the toxic waste. In many developing countries this water treatment is ignored.

Impact of Finishes

• Thai silk and other fabrics that have had finishes applied are especially harmful for people with chemical sensitivities. The most common finishes include wrinkle-free, stain resistant, permanent-press, non-shrinkage and anti-odor.
• Toxic chemicals are absorbed through your skin via the clothes you wear, especially when your body is hot. These toxic metals end up locating in your kidney, liver, heart and brain. High levels of accumulation will be very serious for growing children as well as adults.  

Weighted Thai Silk

Be careful that your "organic" silk fabric is not of the weighted variety. Some suppliers weigh the Thai silk fabric down by using metallic salts into the fabric. Some of the metallic compounds can be dangerous, including those containing lead, barium, tin and chromium. Those Thai silk fabrics that are weighted are most likely not organic.

The solution - Natural Dyes and Processes

At Thai Silk Magic we do not use any chemical finishing additives, our dyes are toxin free and we do not use any metallic salts.

Our dyeing processes use only 100% natural dyes. No chemical are used in any of our processes and the ingredients come from particular types of tree bark, wild flowers, grasses and vegetables. 

These are then later combined in a long, complex process with lemon grass, eucalyptus, tamarind fruits and ants to produce a color-fast natural dye. This process is a closely guarded secret handed down by our grandparents.

Thai Silk Magic is aware of these issues and we will always provide you with a natural, eco-friendly product. As a general rule, those Thai silk fabrics that have retained more of their natural colors are usually more organic silks and will normally be healthy for you.

The question of whether a particular Thai silk is organic or not is quite complex, especially in relation to the dyes and additives used by Thai silk fabric manufacturers.