• Silk comes in a variety of fabrics.Kick Images/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Known for its luxurious look and feel, silk has been the fabric of choice for apparel and furnishings since the study of silk worms began in China during the 2600s BC. After silk worms are raised in a controlled environment, their cocoons are taken and stripped of their sericin -- the natural gummy substance that holds them together. What's left is a protein fiber that can he woven into a variety of different silk fabrics.
  
  

Chiffon

• Chiffon is the most sheer of the silks, and usually requires a lining or backing if it is used for clothing. Its light weight also makes it ideal for billowing garments or making decorative scarves.
  
  

China Silk

• Also very lightweight, China silk is one of the most readily-available silk fabrics you can buy. However you should be wary of buying the silk for making fitted clothes, since it tends to tear under stress.
  
  

Charmeuse

• Charmeuse is the most well-known and commonly-used of the silks, characterized by its shiny satin front and flat crepe backing. It can be used to make anything from lingerie to blouses to decorative scarves.
  
  

Crepe de Chine

• Unlike the shiny appearance of charmeuse, crepe de Chine has a pebbly look and feel to it. Although this type of silk is too soft to hold the structure of tailored clothing, crepe de Chine doesn't unravel as easily as other silks, such as chiffon.
  
  

Jacquard

• Jacquard is a heavier silk, characterized by its brocade-like woven patterns. You can find this silk in more than one color, often with a floral or paisley pattern woven onto it.
  
  

Dupioni

• Dupioni, sometimes spelled doupionni, is a taffeta-like silk good for semi-fitted garments and evening gowns. It is often dyed bright colors. Dupioni shouldn't be used for anything too tight, since it does tear easily under stress, and it should be washed with care so the color doesn't fade too much.
  
  

Noil

• This dull, cotton-looking silk is made from the short silk fibers and can become more faded and weathered-looking if washed improperly. However, noil drapes well and doesn't wrinkle easily, and feels like any other type of silk up against your skin.
  
  

Tussah and Shantung

• Unlike the other silks that are made from the fibers of environmentally-controlled, mulberry-leaf-fed silkworms, tussah silk is made from the cocoons of wild silk worms. Tussah silk is usually found in its natural shade of tan, since it is difficult to dye, and should be washed with extreme care due to its tendency to unravel. Hand-reeled tussah makes a silk called shantung, a crisper silk that also tends to unravel.
  
  

Raw Silk

• Raw silk is the only silk fabric that hasn't had the silk fiber's natural sericin removed from it. This makes raw silk dull and stiff, and attracts odors and dirt easier than the other silks.