Eve,Lissla and others…
Is ‘silk satin’ basically the same thing as ‘silk’. Or is it a different form of silk to you ordinary (for instance) silk shirt?
You of all people should know that if you pick at it, it’ll never heal.
Aspidistra, Hello Again already answered this question farther up the page, but… silk, like cotton and linen, is a fibre. Satin is one of a number of different weaves. In satin, a lot of the weft (horizontal) thread aren’t woven in and out as in a normal weave- instead, they’re floated on the top of the fabric. That’s why satin snags so easily, and why it’s shiny. Silk satin requires more care than ordinary tabby-woven silk because of the snagging problem, and because it’s less likely to be washable.
Some forms of silk satin are, I think, washable, but you should ask the sheet merchant or fabric store employee to be sure.