# What Synthetic Fabric Comes Closest to Silk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198 "2008-07-20T23:16:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/1 "2008-07-20T23:16:25Z")
Silk is a vey nce fabric; unfortunately, it is fragile and prone to stain. It is also expensive, and must be drycleaned. So which fabric comes closest to imitating natural silk? Rayon , polysester? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/2 "2008-07-20T23:52:04Z")
I’d say Rayon. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/3 "2008-07-20T23:52:38Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Not a Great Debate, and I’m not sure there’s really a single factual answer, so I’m moving it to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/4 "2008-07-21T00:18:12Z")
Probably rayon. It can have a very soft feel that’s quite similar to silk. Be advised though - it doesn’t breath nearly as well so can be uncomfortable depending on your climate. Also, if you get any sort of grease or oil on it you might as well toss it. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/5 "2008-07-21T00:59:06Z")
I have a number of silk pieces (tank tops, shirts) I’ve thrown into the washer and dryer with no ill effect, other than the normal wear-and-tear you’d expect with other fabrics laundered thus. I’ve machine- or hand-laundered silk garments I wouldn’t run through the dryer. Silk is notorious for soaking up grease stains, but shampoo does an amazing job of removing those stains. I think many of the “microfiber” fabrics come close to silk. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/6 "2008-07-21T09:27:08Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] Probably rayon. It can have a very soft feel that’s quite similar to silk. Be advised though - it doesn’t breath nearly as well so can be uncomfortable depending on your climate. Also, if you get any sort of grease or oil on it you might as well toss it. [/QUOTE] Rayon is beautiful. It also shrinks incredibly, and is fragile, IME. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/7 "2008-07-21T11:01:37Z")
In men’s clothing I have had a few people think that microfibre business shirts are silk. They do drape like silk shirts. They are very easy care. As **freckafree** says years ago I had lots of silk shirts and my wife wore a lot of silk stuff. I used to just wash them on gentle in a machine with wool wash. They just suffered normal wear and tear. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/8 "2008-07-21T19:49:38Z")
[QUOTE=freckafree] I have a number of silk pieces (tank tops, shirts) I’ve thrown into the washer and dryer with no ill effect, other than the normal wear-and-tear you’d expect with other fabrics laundered thus. I’ve machine- or hand-laundered silk garments I wouldn’t run through the dryer. Silk is notorious for soaking up grease stains, but shampoo does an amazing job of removing those stains. I think many of the “microfiber” fabrics come close to silk. [/QUOTE] I also wash my silk shirts, and throw them into the dryer (but Pull them out early). Now IRONING is a different story. Gotta be careful on the heat setting. ---
**Author:** ![Chotii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Chotii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chotii)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-synthetic-fabric-comes-closest-to-silk/457198/9 "2008-07-22T04:44:11Z")
Tencel feels to me like sandwashed silk. I love it. Also it can be machine washed and dried.