Vegan silk  is a luxury regenerated cellulose fiber made from cotton linter (the fuzzy, silky fibers that cling to cotton seeds). It offers a unique combination of silk-like feel, plant-based origin, and closed-loop sustainable production.

Vegan silk 

  • Fiber Type: Regenerated cellulose (like viscose or lyocell)

     

  • Raw Material: Cotton linters (a by-product of cottonseed oil production)

     

  • Brand Name: Bemberg™ is a registered trademark of Asahi Kasei (Japan)

HOW IT’S MADE

  1. Cotton linters are harvested as waste from cotton ginning.

     

  2. They are purified and dissolved into a viscous solution using chemicals.

     

  3. This solution is extruded through spinnerets and coagulated into fibers.

     

  4. The process uses a closed-loop system that recaptures chemicals and water.

This is similar to how viscose is made—but vegan silk is cleaner and safer due to better technology and waste management.

TEXTILE PROPERTIES

Property

Description

Feel

Soft, silky, luxurious drape

Appearance

Smooth, shiny like silk

Breathability

High (unlike polyester or nylon)

Moisture Control

Excellent wicking and quick-dry

Static

Naturally anti-static

Biodegradability

Fully biodegradable in soil and marine environments

SUSTAINABILITY ADVANTAGES

Environmental:
  • Made from cotton waste → no new land or water needed for farming

     

  • Closed-loop production → solvents and water are recycled

     

  • Low-impact dyeing → compatible with low-toxic dye systems

     

  • Biodegradable and compostable
Social:
  • Primarily produced by Asahi Kasei in Japan, where strict environmental and labor standards are followed.

     

  • vegan silk VS OTHER FABRICS

Comparison

vegan silk 

Silk

  

Source

Cotton linter

Silkworms

  

Texture

Silky

Silky

  

Animal-free

  

Biodegradable

  

Eco-friendly production

✅ (closed-loop)

❌ (sericulture impact)

  

Drape

Fluid

Fluid

  

CONSIDERATIONS

Challenge

Note

Availability

Only made by Asahi Kasei (single source = limited supply)

Cost

More expensive than viscose, similar to lyocell

Perception

Often mistaken for synthetic because of sheen

Not Organic

Made from cotton waste but not certified organic cotton

 

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