Silver Grass

A forset of strong needle-like grass poses out of the sand dunes in Irai, with a posture of defiance for the harsh environment. With a pale colour and a reflective surface, the grass almost looks like small silver strands poking out of the golden sand.

Cultivation

Cities adjacent to the dunes of Sölplanes all have a plantation or two containing the Silver Grass, which is cultivated because of its qualities of durability and strength. Growing the grass is a slow process and therefore patience is needed from the farmers. The farmer's jobs are easy anyway as the grass doesn't need much care during its growing process, the hard part of the job is harvesting the small strands.
When still in the sand, the grass is prone to snap if pulled on from the wrong angle. Most of its strengths come after it has had a month or two to dry in the sun. Harvesting is a long process because of the danger of destroying the strands. Payment for each strand is high enough that it hurts in the farmer's hearts - and pockets - every time a strand is broken.
Though it isn't trashed if gets broken, it's just not as desirable when the strands are short, so it sells for less.

Weaving

It's a hard material to work with, but because of its great qualities, the time is considered worth it. Weavers buy the strands in bundles, and they are the ones to make the tread from the strands themselves. This is the most time-consuming of all the processes. Once this is done, the rest is rather straightforward - if you know how to weave that is.
Weavings made from Silver Grass is considered high value because of its durability and is for many just a one-time purchase. Weavers only make the things that are commissioned to them, to make sure not to waste any time or materials.
Commissions are all for some type of product that will see a lot of wear, like the undergarments beneath the saddle on a horse, or clothes under armour. But sometimes, people with time and money have requested some rather strange things to be made of this material.

Appearence

The silver grass fabric is unexpectedly soft to the touch when you know what it's is made from this can take you by surprise. When the material hasn't been coloured in the process, it has a faint silver shimmer and its colour is considered to be light grey-ish.
But it isn't limited to only the natural colour as it can be ordered in any desired colour.
The weavers also sell the fabric by the meter, so sewers can buy it to make their own products.

Details

Place of natural occurrence

All along the edges of the large dunes of Sölplanes in Irai. The reason for it to only be on the edges is that though it doesn't need a lot, the grass does need water from time to time.

The name

It got its name because of the reflective properties. Through the times it has been mistakenly identified as real silver thread, though it certainly is not.