What Happens If I Put Mulberry Silk in the Dryer?

Putting mulberry silk in the dryer is one of the worst things you can do to it — and it can cause irreversible damage to the fabric.

The high heat and tumbling action of the dryer will:

1. Shrink the silk fabric. Silk fibers contract when exposed to high heat, leading to permanent shrinkage. Even a low-heat dryer cycle can shrink silk by 5–10%.

2. Damage the silk fibers. The heat breaks down the silk protein, causing the fabric to become rough, brittle, and prone to tearing.

3. Wrinkles the silk severely. The tumbling action creates deep, permanent wrinkles that are difficult to iron out.

4. Fade the color. High heat can cause the dye in the silk to fade, especially for dark or bright colors.

If you accidentally put mulberry silk in the dryer, there are a few things you can try:

• Remove the fabric immediately, while it’s still slightly damp

• Gently stretch the fabric back to its original shape

• Hang it to air dry completely

• Steam iron on the lowest setting to remove wrinkles

Prevention is always better than repair. Always air dry mulberry silk in a cool, shaded area, and never put it in the dryer — even on the “delicate” or “air fluff” setting.

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