Mud Silk: Ancient Tradition, Modern Style
Noir Mud Silk is Marcella Echavarria’s tribute to a rare 2,500-year-old Guangdong textile tradition. Wearing mud silk is the closest you can come to donning a piece of living ceramic—fluid yet enduring. These unisex, one-size garments are intended for layering and are built to last, reflecting Marcella’s devotion to quality, ancestral geometry, and the principles of slow fashion.
The Process
The process is seasonal, complicated, and strictly manual. Drying medicinal yams then grinding and simmering them in a large clay basin until the water turns orange is how the fabric attains that bright color.
The Mud
Then the fabric dried in the open air before it receives a layer of mud from the Pearl River. This gives the fabric a lacquered texture that is formed with a buildup of anthracite coal. It is important to note that although the technique is referred to as mud-dyeing, the mud is not the actual dye but rather a mordant - it is the tannin that is the dye.
The Evolution
The production process to create mud silk is labour intensive and season specific, it only occurs between March and November in Canton. Climate change has had a direct impact on this cultural practice for two reasons: changes in the iron content of the river due to pollution and changes in the seasons making it difficult for artisans to plan and respond to weather conditions. This means that this inherently rare textile is only getting rarer.
Our selection of these rare pieces is limited. Versatile and wearable, if this captivating textile interests you, be sure to invest in one (or more) of these pieces while you still can ;) Shop now at atelier957.com/collections/noir-mud-silk