Read the sewn-in label literally first: note the fibers, percentages, and any section names or exclusions that are actually printed.
For this article, we reviewed three FEELITS sewn-in labels:
TH01 and KN17 carry a 100% mulberry silk fiber statement. BRA17 carries a 95% mulberry silk / 5% spandex fiber statement and also has visible lace and separate strap components.
When reading the label, ask:
What exactly does the label say, and which fabric or garment section does that statement describe?
Start With the Exact Wording on the Label
The three labels photographed for this article read:
| Product | Sewn-in fiber statement |
|---|---|
| TH01 | 100% Mulberry Silk |
| KN17 | 100% Mulberry Silk |
| BRA17 | 95% Mulberry Silk / 5% Spandex |
None of these photographed labels uses wording such as:
- Main Fabric
- Body
- Shell
- Exclusive of Elastic
Because those terms are not printed on these labels, we should not add section names or exclusions ourselves.
What Does “100% Mulberry Silk” Tell You?
TH01 and KN17 both have sewn-in labels that read:
100% Mulberry Silk
The direct reading is that the declared fiber composition is 100% silk.
That statement should not automatically be expanded into a claim about every elastic component, fastening, thread, trim, or separately constructed part of the finished garment.
KN17 gives us more construction information than the label alone.
Its main body uses a 100% mulberry silk double-knit fabric, while separate elastic is used at the waistband and leg openings.
We can confirm those elastic components are present. We do not have verified fiber-percentage breakdowns for them.
For KN17, the available evidence supports this statement:
The sewn-in label states 100% Mulberry Silk, and the finished garment also contains separate elastic components at the waist and leg openings.
The label photograph does not tell us the exact fiber composition of those elastic parts.
TH01 should be read with the same level of caution. Its label states 100% Mulberry Silk, but we do not have verified composition data for every visible edge component in the garment.
How to Read “95% Mulberry Silk / 5% Spandex”
The BRA17 sewn-in label reads:
95% Mulberry Silk
5% Spandex
Those numbers are fiber-content percentages by weight for the textile material being disclosed.
Spandex accounts for 5% of the fiber content disclosed on the label. It should not be interpreted as a separate five-percent section of the finished bralette.
The garment also has a visible lace design at the front and separate adjustable strap components.
The photographed label does not give separate fiber percentages for those lace or strap areas.
What the label tells us
- Mulberry silk accounts for 95% of the disclosed fiber content.
- Spandex accounts for 5%.
What the label does not tell us
- the exact fiber composition of the lace;
- the exact fiber composition of the straps;
- the exact amount of stretch created by the 5% spandex;
- how much of the garment's visible area is silk;
- whether every separate component is included in the same 95/5 statement.
A fiber percentage describes composition; it does not quantify performance or show how much surface area each material occupies.
Fiber Percentages Are Not Garment-Area Percentages
A 95% silk / 5% spandex statement describes fiber content by weight.
It does not mean:
95% of the visible garment area is silk and 5% is spandex.
A clearer way to read it is:
One disclosed fiber composition
→ 95% Mulberry Silk
→ 5% Spandex
This distinction matters when a finished garment also contains visible lace, straps, trim, or elastic components.
What About Lace, Straps, Waistbands, and Elastic?
The photographed BRA17 label gives one 95% Mulberry Silk / 5% Spandex fiber statement, while the finished bralette visibly includes lace and separate straps.
The fiber percentages of those visible lace and strap components are not stated on the photographed label.
KN17 presents another construction detail. Its sewn-in label states 100% Mulberry Silk, while the garment uses separate elastic around the waistband and leg openings. The exact fiber percentages of that elastic have not been verified.
Where exact composition data is unavailable, it should remain unspecified rather than being inferred from appearance.
Product photographs can show that a lace panel, strap, waistband, or elastic edge exists. They do not, by themselves, reveal the fiber percentages of those components.
For more detail on the difference between a fiber blend and a separate garment component, see why silk underwear uses lace and elastic.
A Short Note on Labeling Rules
U.S. textile rules can treat distinct textile sections, certain trims, decoration, and elastic differently depending on how they are used.
That helps explain why a single fiber statement should not automatically be applied to every visible component of a finished garment.
It does not establish that a particular FEELITS label qualifies for any specific exemption without a complete review of the garment and its labeling.
What a Fiber Composition Label Cannot Tell You
A fiber percentage does not quantify:
- exact stretch or recovery;
- fit;
- durability;
- softness;
- breathability;
- the fiber composition of an unlabeled separate component;
- whether two fabrics with the same fiber percentages will behave the same way.
KN17 illustrates the last point.
Its fiber statement is 100% Mulberry Silk, while its main fabric uses a double-knit construction. A woven silk garment can use the same silk fiber while forming the fabric differently.
The fiber identity may be the same, but the fabric construction is not.
For more detail, see how knitted and woven silk differ in Is Knitted Silk Real Silk? Knit vs. Woven Silk Explained.
Read the label for what it actually states: the listed fibers, their percentages, and any section or exclusion named on the tag.
FAQ
What does “100% Mulberry Silk” mean on an underwear label?
It means the declared fiber composition is 100% silk.
It should not automatically be extended to every elastic, trim, fastening, or separately constructed component unless the label or other verified product information says so.
What does “95% Mulberry Silk / 5% Spandex” mean?
It means the disclosed textile material contains 95% mulberry silk and 5% spandex by weight.
It does not mean that 95% of the garment's visible area is silk and 5% of the visible area is spandex.
Does “100% silk” mean the waistband or elastic is also silk?
Not necessarily.
KN17 has a sewn-in label stating 100% Mulberry Silk while also using separate elastic at the waistband and leg openings.
The available label does not provide the exact fiber percentages of that elastic.
Can lace have a different fiber composition from the main fabric?
Yes.
Lace can be a separate textile section with a different fiber composition. Whether and how that composition is disclosed depends on the garment construction, how the lace is used, and the applicable labeling rules.
If the lace composition has not been verified, it should not be inferred from the main-fabric percentage.
What does “exclusive of elastic” mean?
Some textile labels may use wording such as “exclusive of elastic” to indicate that qualifying elastic is not included in the stated base-fabric fiber percentages.
None of the TH01, KN17, or BRA17 labels reviewed for this article uses that wording.
The phrase should be read only when it actually appears on the label; it should not be assumed simply because elastic is visible on a garment.
