Behind the Fiber: The Story of Our Revolutionary Organic Washable Silk

Introducing a new material to the Coyuchi collection is never a simple decision, especially when the goal is to rethink what that material can be. So when we set out to create our silk sleepwear collection, we were looking for a rare combination of qualities: exceptional softness and performance, rigorous organic standards, responsible production and the everyday ease of machine washability. Seven years and countless meetings later, we finally created something that met all of those expectations and more: the Selene Organic Silk Collection.

In honor of its long anticipated launch, we’re taking you behind the fiber with Margot Lyons, our Director of Sustainability and Sourcing. She shares the story behind the search, the standards that guided every decision and how we created a silk that brings together innovation, luxury and a more thoughtful approach to how it’s made.

Pictured above: Selene Organic Silk Robe in Pearl

Why silk? What made it a natural addition to Coyuchi’s sleep collection?

Silk is one of the oldest cultivated textile fibers, and for good reason. It’s naturally thermoregulating—it can feel cool against the skin in warmer conditions and hold warmth in cooler ones. Its surface is also smoother at the fiber level than cotton or many synthetics, which reduces the friction that can contribute to hair and skin irritation overnight. And it breathes with you instead of against you.

That combination of thermoregulation, low friction and breathability is why silk has held a place in bedding and sleepwear for centuries, beyond just its aesthetic appeal. It’s also why we were so excited to add it to our sleepwear assortment.

How long did the sourcing process take, and when did the search for the right silk begin?

The idea originally came about around 7 years ago, but at the time we struggled to find a vendor who could meet our criteria for organic and sustainable practices. Then in 2022, we found a vendor we aligned with, but at that point the factory hadn’t yet completed GOTS certification. We checked back in 2024 when they received their GOTS certification and were so excited to be able to move forward, so we put silk on our product roadmap for a 2026 launch. It’s been a long time in the making!

A closer look at silk fibers before they’re transformed into finished fabric.

What does Coyuchi look for when sourcing a new material? 

A lot goes into sourcing a new material, but we generally start by looking at how it’s made and understanding its properties. If we’re able to get a good understanding of those areas, we can then move on to thinking through product types, factory partners, certifications and eventually, end of life.

Can you tell us more about the factory behind our silk and why it was the right partner for Coyuchi?

We’re really excited to be working with a factory that has deep expertise in silk and is also Fair Trade Certified™. That certification matters to us in its own right, separate from GOTS. Right now, about 60% of our assortment is Fair Trade Certified™ and we’re always looking to increase that number across our entire vendor base, not just for silk.This collection was also an opportunity to make progress toward that broader goal.

Inside our partner factory, where silk fibers are carefully processed and prepared for production.

What makes GOTS certified organic silk different from conventional silk?

There are a few differences worth calling out specifically. The mulberry trees are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, which matters for soil and water quality around the farms. GOTS also restricts hazardous processing chemicals, including chlorine bleach, certain azo dyes and formaldehyde finishes, and requires wastewater treatment during wet-processing stages. This helps meaningfully reduce the pollution footprint of turning fiber into finished fabric. With conventional silk, you generally can’t verify what happened at every stage of production or what chemicals were used.

Did you explore any other types of silk before choosing this one?

We also looked at peace silk, sometimes called ahimsa silk, since we already source other fibers from India. In peace silk production, moths are allowed to complete their lifecycle and emerge before the cocoons are processed, rather than harvesting the cocoons with the pupae still inside, which is the more common method.

We evaluated it and ultimately decided against it for this launch, with quality and durability being one factor. Conventional silk is reeled from a single continuous filament per cocoon, often several hundred meters long, which gives it its strength, smoothness, and sheen. With peace silk, that filament is broken when the moth emerges, so it has to be spun like a staple fiber rather than reeled. This generally produces a weaker, less lustrous, and more textured yarn—closer to raw or tussah silk than the smooth mulberry silk most people associate with the fiber.

Pictured above: Selene Organic Silk Dress in Espresso

What should customers know about caring for Coyuchi silk?

One of the most exciting things about our collection is that it’s machine washable. A lot of silk is dry clean only, so we made sure ours could be easily washed at home.

And what happens to silk at the end of its life?

As far as we know, there isn’t an established silk-recycling stream yet like there is for materials such as cotton or wool. What silk does have going for it is that it’s a natural protein fiber, so it’s biodegradable at end of life rather than persisting the way synthetic fibers do. It just isn’t currently reclaimed and respun into new silk in the same way some other fibers can be.

That’s also why extending the life of the pieces we make is so important. Through our 2nd Home Renewed program, customers can send back pre-loved Coyuchi silk, which we clean, inspect, certify and resell. This gives beautiful, high-quality pieces like these the opportunity to be loved and enjoyed all over again for years to come.