Spidersilk

Produced by the large Silk Spiders found at home and domesticated in south- and southwestern Ivendarea, spidersilk is a commonly used material in clothing.

Properties

Material Characteristics

In its raw state spidersilk appears almost like very thinly stretched cotton, spun into white, veil-like webs by the Silk Spiders on plantations kept by the Gaanar and Gideya farmers specializing in its production.
The webs are harvested every few months, when a new generation of silk spiders has hatched and is growing. The material is quite resilient to water, and being exposed to the elements for a few months increases its sturdiness. Spidersilk harvested in the monsoon season is thicker and particularly absorbent, flowing across its wearer's shape beautifully, while the silk harvested during the dry season is particularly fine and light, floating more than falling.
The harvested webs are cleaned and spun into a very fine white yarn which is then woven into proper silk-fabric.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Spidersilk is very soft and slightly cold to the touch, which is why it is a favoured material used in clothing in Ivendarea's warmer regions. Depending on when the silk was harvested and how finely it has been spun, spidersilk fabric can be rather translucent, creating beautiful effects when several layers of different colours and patterns are worn on top of each other. The thicker, heavier fabrics are often found in the Nyr's ceremonial clothing, as particularly when dyed in blue-tones spidersilk can almost appear as actual water flowing down its wearer's body, water playing an important role in their religious beliefs.