Which fabric is 100% silk with warp/novelty, slub filling, unbalanced plain weave, piece dyed?

Which fabric is 100% silk with warp/novelty, slub filling, unbalanced plain weave, piece dyed?

• A. Moire Taffeta
• B. Shantung
• C. Butcher Rayon
• D. Poplin

Answer: (B)

Understanding silk fabrics involves recognizing how yarns, weave, and finish create texture. This fabric is 100% silk and shows a rough, uneven surface from thick-and-thin yarns, which are the slubs. When woven in a plain weave that is unbalanced—meaning the warp and weft counts differ—the fabric gains extra crispness and body, contributing to that distinctive textured hand. Piece-dyed finishes are common for silk shantung, meaning the fabric is dyed after weaving rather than dyeing the yarns first. The combination of warp novelty yarns, slub in the filling, a plain weave that’s unbalanced, and a piece-dyed silk all point to shantung. Other fabrics don’t fit this texture and construction: a moire finish appears as a watermark effect rather than a slubby texture; a smooth poplin shows a fine rib and even surface; and rayon fabrics described as “butcher” are not silk.

Understanding silk fabrics involves recognizing how yarns, weave, and finish create texture. This fabric is 100% silk and shows a rough, uneven surface from thick-and-thin yarns, which are the slubs. When woven in a plain weave that is unbalanced—meaning the warp and weft counts differ—the fabric gains extra crispness and body, contributing to that distinctive textured hand. Piece-dyed finishes are common for silk shantung, meaning the fabric is dyed after weaving rather than dyeing the yarns first. The combination of warp novelty yarns, slub in the filling, a plain weave that’s unbalanced, and a piece-dyed silk all point to shantung.

Other fabrics don’t fit this texture and construction: a moire finish appears as a watermark effect rather than a slubby texture; a smooth poplin shows a fine rib and even surface; and rayon fabrics described as “butcher” are not silk.