About Dupioni
Classic
dupioni cloth is
made with a tight plain weave, fine warp yarns and
heavier, slubbed filling yarns that form prominent, irregular crosswise
ribs. The fabric is medium in weight, with a crisp, scrunchy hand, a
rough, uneven texture and,
generally, a very shimmery luster.
Dupioni
silk (meaning "double") is produced when two or more silkworms spin
their cocoons too
closely together. These slightly tangled cocoons
produce filament that is rough, uneven and not as strong as cultivated
silk. It is usually reeled and used to make fine or heavy yarns with
pronounced irregular slubs
at random intervals. Dupioni silk usually comes
from cultivated, rather than wild, silkworms because their living
quarters are more crowded, increasing their chances of tangling the
cocoons. The irregular, crosswise
ribs of dupioni are formed by filling yarns that
have occasional soft, thick lumps. The lumps, or slubs, add texture and
visual interest to the fabric.