Moderate
Material Deep Dive
Silk
Silk earns a mid-range FSI sustainability score of 56 because its strong water performance (based on a Thai handwoven silk water-footprint study) and natural biodegradability are offset by a very high cradle-to-gate carbon footprint and moderate levels of pollution and chemical use in typical wet processing.
Animal
Virgin
End of Life
2+ years
85/100
Chemical Use
Moderate
60/100
Pollution
Moderate
60/100
Water Usage
601 L/kg
97/100
Carbon Footprint
18.7 kg CO₂/kg
2/100
Carbon Footprint Analysis
2/100
Silk produces approximately 18.7 kg CO₂-equivalent per kilogram of fiber.
The Data
Carbon Footprint
18.7 kg CO₂/kg
FSI Carbon Score
2/100
Sources: Higg Materials Sustainability Index, Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Report
Sustainability Breakdown
Microplastic risk
None
Care level
Delicate
Available certifications
GOTS (organic silk), OEKO-TEX, bluesign, EU Ecolabel
Key properties
very soft, lightweight, breathable, strong for its weight, drapey, temperature regulating, biodegradable, low microplastic risk
Common uses
dresses, blouses, scarves, ties, lingerie, sleepwear, luxury knitwear, formalwear, bedding, accessories
Also known as
mulberry silk, cultivated silk, Bombyx mori silk, filament silk