China’s UNESCO Cultural Heritage fabric, “XiangYunSha” silk (“Tea Silk” in English), also known as “soft gold,” is the most precious mulberry silk in the world, traditionally reserved for nobles.
Originating in southern China, it uses a thousand-year-old manufacturing technique consisting of more than 30 repeated steps: naturally dyed with sweet potato (Dioscorea cirrhosa), dried under the sun, and a final pass with river mud (for the black color).
The chemical reaction gives silk unique characteristics: high breathability, does not wrinkle, does not absorb moisture, high quantity of amino acids that help maintain good skin balance.
This process can only be done by hand from April to November and stops in bad weather, which is why each meter of fabric takes on different shades.
