Researchers develop super silk that retains shape after wetting

Silk, a material woven from the cocoons of silkworms, has been prized for more than 4,000 years as a luxury fabric. Its unique combination of lightweight feel, high tensile strength, and biocompatibility has expanded its applications beyond clothing to include medical devices and other specialized products.

Despite these advantages, conventional silk exhibits a notable drawback: repeated exposure to moisture causes the fibers to shrink and lose their original shape. This susceptibility to dimensional change limits its durability in environments where humidity fluctuates, prompting ongoing research into treatments and alternative processing methods aimed at preserving silk’s desirable properties while mitigating its moisture‑induced deformation.