Silk Baselayer FAQ:

What activities & situations is silk baselayer best for?

A: Silk is best suited to requirements for thin ('bulk-less') layering with a high warmth insulation value and a soft luxurious - comfortable texture. These qualities make it very suitable for a wide range of cool to cold weather activities and post activity , or work / casual layering. Some examples are:

Travel - silk's bulkless comfortable layering properties are ideal for travel, and it's lightweight packable nature makes it superb for keeping your luggage bulk & weight down. Take an extra lightweight pair for sleep in ultimate  comfort!

Weekend leisure - silks thin, bulkless layering and comfort, make it ideal for leisure-wear.

Walking & hiking - our silks ability to insulate & breathe make it most comfortable for wear during moderate activity. Great for an evening base layer or lightweight sleepwear when backpacking or camping - sleep in silk long johns for the ultimate in comfort!

Motorcycling - silks breathability, and thin bulkless layering make it ideal for wearing under leathers, gloves & boots in cool and cold weather.

Snow sport & skiing - the high insulation value of silk keeps you warmer, while it's ability to breathe keeps you more comfortable.

Work - silks comfortable, bulkless & unrestrictive layering properties make it ideal for the work day whether it involves travel, meetings, or time in the office. It warms on cold days, and its ability to breath helps moisture wick away when you warm up. It's thin enough to wear with with tailored outfits.

Sensitive skin - silks natural fibre and soft, luxurious texture make it the ideal 'go to' for many people with sensitive skin who want comfortable base-layer, glove and sock liners.

How effective is silk as an insulating base layer?

A: weight for weight, silk is said to be a more effective insulator than any other natural or synthetic fibre.

What will silk do for me in cold & windy conditions?

A: Silk baselayer performs well in cold and windy conditions, and when you are on the move in cool and cold temperatures. It's combination of low air permeability and high water vapour permeability increases the comfort the wearer in a cold and windy conditions (Das et al (2021).

Is silk good for multi season wear?

A: Silk is ideal for multi-season wear. Silk has the ability to maintain good comfort with the large changes in temperature that can occur in spring & autumn . It will perform well on the cooler summer days.  Silk's high thermal absorbency, wickability, moisture absorbency, very good water vapour permeability & low thermal resistance make it suitable for summer wear clothing (Das et al (2021).

What makes silk so good for wearing next to my skin?

A: The remarkable similarity of the natural silk protein profile with human skin, combined with the smooth nature of its fibres, make it the perfect match for comfort and good health. Saad et al (2023) point out natural silk is defined by fibrous proteins comprising repetitive sequences of amino acids that are rich in serine, alanine, and/or glycine. The make up of these amino acids resembles that of human body skin. Hung et al (2019) note the thread fibers of silk are strong and consist of filaments with a rounded shape, resulting in excellent smooth fibers that do not cause scratching, friction, or irritate the skin. They point out silk additionally helps by maintaining optimum humidity of the body through minimizing both the circulation of sweat, and moisture loss thought to worsen dry skin.

Is silk suitable for sensitive skin?

A: Silk has some remarkable qualities that can help people with sensitive skin. Hung et al (2019) conclude wearing pure silk (baselayer) directly against the skin promotes good skin appearance, comfort, and remarkable improvement in the quality of life for people with dry, itchy and inflamed skin associated with atopic dermatitis. Their clinical trial observed 30 patients with atopic dermatitis for up to 8 weeks . They were instructed to wear pure silk base layer clothing directly against the skin for the whole day without any additional treatment. The study findings revealed a significant decrease of atopic dermatitis occurrence along with a great improvement of patient’s quality of life at each time point. They note the thread fibers of silk are strong and consist of filaments with a rounded shape, resulting in excellent smooth fibers that do not cause scratching, friction, or irritate the skin. The smooth fibers have minimal abrasive effect on atopic skin which facilitates a faster recovery of irritated skin compared to rough fibers. They point out silk additionally helps by maintaining optimum humidity of the body through minimizing both the circulation of sweat, and moisture loss thought to worsen dry skin.

 Is silk a robust and durable fabric?

A: Yes, silk is a robust and durable fabric, with a very high fibre strength - about as strong as it gets . Vidya et al (2021) point out the wild silkworm fibre’s mechanical properties - the toughness and extensibility of its fibroin fibres are greater than polymers such as Kevlar and elastin.

Is silk enviromentally friendly?

A: Silk is both sustainable & environmentally friendly. It is naturally degradable when disposed of.

How do you wash a silk baselayer?

A: All our silk baselayer can be machine washed, and dried fast.

How long will it take to receive my order?

A: We will usually dispatch the next business day. If there is likely to be any delay we will contact you. New Zealand delivery will usually be made within 1-2 days of dispatch.

Where do you ship to and how much will I pay for shipping?

A: Our shipping is set up for New Zealand wide delivery only. Tracked shipping charges for New Zealand are as follows:

Flat rate $8.50 shipping charge for any order size.

Can I return a garment I have purchased from you?

A: Yes you can - provided the garment is returned within 10 days of receipt, unused, and in new, as packaged condition, we will provide a credit for the goods, or provide an alternative size to your preference. Please do let us know in advance of sending if you wish to return a garment, so we can prepare accordingly.