Complete Material Comparison
Choosing the right kumihimo material affects the beauty, durability, consistency, and overall presentation of your jewelry. Below is a professional comparison of natural Silk and Toray Silook®, optimized for jewelry designers.
1. Material Structure
- Silk: Natural protein fiber, irregular triangular cross-section, subtle variations in thickness.
- Silook: Engineered filament with perfectly uniform triangular structure, highly stable across lots.
2. Touch & Temperature
- Silk: Warm, slightly moist, organic tactile feel.
- Silook: Smooth, slightly cool, clean and modern touch.
3. Shine & Light Reflection
- Silk: Gentle natural shimmer, depth in photography.
- Silook: Even, elegant glow with excellent photographic stability.
4. Uniformity of Actual Braiding
- Silk: Natural micro-variation creates expressive texture and traditional character.
- Silook: Perfect roundness and consistency from 1mm to 12mm; ideal for mass-production.
5. Durability & Daily Wear
- Silk: Sensitive to sweat, humidity, and friction.
- Silook: Strong abrasion resistance, sweat-proof, excellent for daily wear.
6. Recommended Material by Design Genre
| Design Category | Silk | Silook |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal pendants | Elegant but delicate | Best: stable, refined, durable |
| Daily-wear necklaces | Needs careful handling | Excellent durability |
| Unisex / modern | Warm, natural feel | Sharp, clean consistency |
| Overseas production | LOT variation risk | Highly stable for scaling |
| Bracelets | Wears faster | Superior abrasion resistance |
| Kimono / traditional | Perfect match | Modern interpretation |
7. Thickness × Material Matrix (1mm–4mm)
| Thickness | Silk Characteristics | Best Uses | Silook Characteristics | Best Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1mm | Natural texture; delicate variation | Fine jewelry | Perfectly round; durable | Minimal pendants / EC |
| 1.5mm | Luxury feel | Handcrafted pendants | Highly stable and photogenic | Daily & unisex |
| 2mm | Expressive, soft presence | Statement pendants | Balanced, uniform | Brand-standard cords |
| 3mm | Traditional, strong presence | Kimono accessories | Bold, visually strong | Fashion pendants |
| 4mm | Artistic, organic texture | One-of-a-kind pieces | Solid, durable | Bold accessories |
8. Designer Type Diagnosis
- Type A: EC-focused / Overseas production → Choose Silook
- Type B: One-of-a-kind / Handcrafted artist → Choose Silk
- Type C: Kimono / Craft / Martial Arts → Choose based on use (Silk for aesthetics, Silook for durability)
9. Summary
Choose Silk if you value natural beauty, tradition, and expressive texture.
Choose Silook if you need consistency, durability, sweat resistance, and stable production for EC or overseas workshops.