Are silk and siden the same thing?

Is there a difference between silk fiber and silk fabric?

Silke (the Swedish word for silk fiber) and siden (the Swedish word for silk fabric) are the same thing, originating from the same material, but the words are actually used for two different things. While silke is the natural fiber that comes from the silkworm's cocoon, siden is the fabric made from the silk fiber.

So the difference is: Silke = natural fiber, Siden = fabric made from silk

In everyday language, silke and siden are often used synonymously, which makes it easy to believe that they are two different materials. Here we clarify the difference between silke and siden, how the material is made, and what you should look for when buying a silk scarf or other silk products.

What is the difference between silke and siden?

The simplest explanation is:

Silke = the fiber
Siden = the fabric made from silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber. The most well-known type comes from the Bombyx mori silkworm, whose cocoons consist of very long, thin silk threads.

When silk fibers are processed, spun and twisted into yarn and woven into a fabric, the fabric is called 'siden' in Swedish.

This means that a scarf made of 100% siden is made of silk.

Why do we use both words?

It is partly because English uses the word 'silk' for both the fiber and the fabric. In Swedish, however, we have two words.

Silke describes the raw material or the fiber, while siden describes the finished product, the fabric.

Therefore, you may encounter terms like silk scarf, silk twill and 100% silk in English, while the corresponding Swedish terms are sidenscarf, sidentwill or 100% siden, for example.

In modern language, however, 'silke' is sometimes used for the fabric itself. It is therefore not surprising if "silkesscarf" and "sidenscarf" are used interchangeably.

Is siden a natural material?

Yes. Siden is a natural material because it is made from silk, a natural protein fiber that comes from the silkworm's cocoon.

This distinguishes siden from synthetic materials like polyester, even if these can sometimes imitate the shine and feel of silk.

Are siden and satin the same thing?

No. Siden and satin do not mean the same thing. Siden describes a fabric made from silk, while satin describes how a fabric is woven. Satin can therefore be made of silk, but also of materials like polyester. If you want to delve deeper into this, we have written a separate guide on the difference between siden and satin.

What does silk twill mean?

Silk twill, or sidentwill, is silk woven using a technique called twill weave. It is recognizable by the subtle diagonal structure in the fabric. Twill describes the weaving technique, while silk describes the fiber. A fabric can therefore be both 100% silk and twill at the same time.

ELOÉ's scarves are made of 100% silk woven in silk twill.

Silke, siden, and silk: a simple glossary

Silke: the natural fiber from the silkworm's cocoon.
Siden: fabric made from silk.
Silk: the English word used for both the fiber and the fabric.
Seta: Italian for silk.
Twill: a weaving technique often used for silk scarves.
Satin: a weaving technique that can be used for both silk and synthetic materials.

Common questions about silk

Are silke and siden the same thing?

Yes, but the words have different meanings. Silke is the natural fiber, while siden is the fabric made from silk.

Is silk a natural material?

Yes. Silk is a natural protein fiber that comes from the silkworm's cocoon.

What is the word for silk fabric in English?

It is called silk in English. English uses the same word for both the fiber and the finished fabric.

Is a silk scarf the same as a "sidenscarf"?

Yes. A scarf made of 100% silk is the same as a scarf in 100% siden.

What is the word for silk in Italian?

It is called seta in Italian. On Italian material labels, you might therefore see "100% seta", for example.

In summary

Silke is the fiber. Siden is the fabric. Silk is the English word for both.

If a scarf is labeled as 100% siden, 100% silke, or 100% silk, it refers to the same natural fiber. The difference lies primarily in how the words are used.