PEOPLE . PLANET . US

iQ Silk is about tweaking the way we experience luxury. Silk is a luxury commodity. Although like all textiles which attract criticisms regarding issues of sustainability, silk however provides numerous added benefits to people. Including its use throughout the medical field, silk is also considered a biomaterial meaning it can be introduced to body tissue for medical purposes due to its natural properties.

Likewise, these natural properties provide benefits to the more sensitive areas of our skin like the face, which often requires special care as it is prone to inflammatory conditions. Silk can make a difference in the way we look after our face during one third of our life, ie. during sleep. It provides a clean and safe surface for you at night to promote the health and wellness of face, as well as hair.

As such, iQ Silk is offered as a personal product, one that does not promote excess but promotes silk as a type of skin treatment.

ADVOCACY.

Eco-friendly luxuryTM is about conscious luxury. Conscious not only on its impact on planet but also its social impact. The textile industry is wrought with unethical practices that negatively impact people. Cotton for example is not easy to track from whence it originated from, meaning the low price cotton shirts or cotton bed sheets may have easily supported ongoing unethical practices such as modern-day-slavery in the cotton industry. However as silk is mostly produced in a few countries, with China overwhelmingly dominating the field, silk is easier to track. iQ Silk uses silk from China and works with craftsmen to support age-old traditions, as we endeavour to empower people involved in our supply-chain. We foster a sensitivity to others and our environment as we advocate for making conscious positive actions.

ABOUT ME.

My background in City Planning has shaped my attitude towards sustainability, a core consideration and a conscious strategic process in the built environment, likewise my attitude towards sustainability in all things. Through this lens, my love for silk and their benefits were re-examined. As a result, iQ Silk for me is a meeting of worlds, blending the principles of sustainability and my love for the benefits of silk.

iQ Silk is about reframing the way we understand and experience luxury. My intention and iQ Silk's objective is to bring a new perspective to the health and wellness industry, and advocate positive impact and conscious actions in all things.

In the heart of it, I wanted to create a brand that demonstrates how conscious luxury does not have to cost the earth.

To help me achieve this I engaged my mother Rebekah Araullo, an award-winning designer, to help create and develop a brand that encapsulates these values.

Isabella Araullo - Founder

A FRESH START.

Launched in November 2021 during the pandemic, when many found time for pause, reflection and a reset, the iQ Silk initiative took flight. Its brand's ambition extends beyond silk. Its sweeping ambition is to advocate deliberate positive actions for people and planet. I highlight actions instead of intentions to ensure there is impact and outcome.

We are not perfect, but we aim to always progress. We are proud of our efforts and we are passionate about innovation and our commitment to people and planet. We do this through making better choices in ensuring that sustainability is at the core of what we do and is reflected in our business practices. There is a long way to go, but we are committed to improving. We invite you to be part of this journey.

the iQ silk DESIGN.

I suppose for every generation, this is a familiar ambition and may not be something new. Should this be the case, then I call this a fresh start and not a new journey.

In the heart of it, I wanted to create a brand that demonstrates how conscious luxury does not have to come at the cost of the earth. So, I engaged my mother Rebekah, an award-winning designer and inspiration to many, to help create and develop a brand that encapsulates these values. This brand is about coming together, aligning to ensure there is a quorum of people who make deliberate and intentional positive changes, and who influence others to take part in this human journey. Hence, iQ Silk is born.

The iQ Silk design is framed against natural unique textures that are iconically Australian, proposing an elemental symmetry that is both elegant and edgy, distinct qualities embodied in the iQ Silk brand. With a contemporary perspective, it contextualises Australian's love for the outdoors in harmony with the luxury of natural silk. iQ Silk is Australian minimalism to inspire a sensitivity to people and planet, and to exhibit a contemporary lifestyle characterised by openness, diversity, simplicity, elegance, harmony and for some, characterised by creative walkabout moments, somehow, to lightly be one with nature.

MORE THAN A COMMUNITY. A SOCIETY.

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

JOIN THE JOURNEY.

Many people have made the iQ Silk brand possible, including the gorgeous individuals featured in the site.

Take part in the journey. It's really simple, it's about making small deliberate changes that impact positively, one small step at a time to help foster a sensitivity to people and to our planet.

iQ SILK PERFORMANCE.

iQ Silk is made from 100% pure mulberry silk. We endeavour to bring you the highest quality silk to ensure your products are superior in materiality and craftsmanship.

All iQ Silk products are crafted with exact specifications using minimum 22 momme silk density and are proudly marked as such.

Unless stated otherwise, most silk products in the Australian market use the standard 16 momme silk density and regard 19 momme density as premium. SIlk density is foremost a quality consideration that impacts silk products' durability and longevity.

density & quality of silk WEAVE

About iQ Silk

16 momme

19 momme

iQ Silk 22 momme

Most brands offer 16 momme as high quality silk due to the fact that mass-produced silk products available globally have an even lower density of 11 momme.

While this is good enough, silk with lower density is more prone to damage and tearing reducing the product's performance and longevity.

Unless stated otherwise, most Australian brands' offer 19 momme as a premium standard.

Indeed, it is a sufficient quality to ensure longer-lasting silk products compared with those made of 16 and lower momme density.

In comparison, iQ Silk uses 22 momme density of pure silk and is crafted to exact specifications, to ensure you enjoy the benefits of silk far longer whilst retaining its luxurious feel, and ensuring its highest silk performance and its silky smooth appearance.

iQ Silk silk products are distinguished by their superior detailing and craftsmanship, as well as their superior design of sustainable packaging.

KEY DIFFERENCES IN QUALITY SILK - CHOOSE WELL AND BUY LESS

In conjunction with silk density, craftsmanship is an important factor when choosing your silk products. Many brands offer silk products made of a hybrid of silk with satin, rayon or viscose, all of which are synthetic alternatives to silk, in order to maintain lower price points.

This is evident in pillowcases which are made with pure silk on one side and a silk alternative on the other.

However unbeknownst to many, this along with silk density are major points of differences in quality which are often overlooked, as these hybrid products can also be marketed as 'pure silk'.

PILLOWCASE OPENING

Detailing as well determines the quality of silk products. Silk is a smooth and delicate fabric that requires practical considerations in design and functionality. For pillowcases, movement in sleep causes pillows to easily slide out of their silky smooth cases. Therefore, a flap opening typical in pillowcases made of other fabrics less silky smooth, such as cotton, poses problems in a silk pillowcase. Hence, the iQ Silk pillowcase is designed with a concealed zipper to ensure your pillow is trapped neatly. It also ensures that you would only need one size to serve the most typically used pillow sizes of 'standard' and 'queen'. You'll be able to take your personal iQ Silk pillowcase with you when you travel without worrying about sizes. It is by far the most practical solution to silk pillowcases.

PIPED EDGES

To enhance the durability of silk products, the iQ Silk pillowcase design and eyemask have a standard piped edge. This acts as reinforcement to ensure the structural integrity and strength of these delicate silk products, and avoids tearing at the edges over time, making iQ Silk products longer-lasting compared to other brands. As an added benefit, the piped edge design also serves to enhance the aesthetic quality of silk pillowcases, making the iQ Silk design distinctly superior and luxurious.

BRANDING DETAIL

Meticulous in its placement, the iQ branding is neatly designed and subtle in a tasteful way. It is slightly visible to give you the confidence to be able to identify a superior quality product and be able to distinguish alignment with the iQ brand values.

PIPED EDGE FOR A LUXURIOUS FINISH

TASTEFULLY SUBTLE BRANDING

SILK EXPERIMENTATION WITH ADVERSE IMPACTS

Silk experimentation has experienced some growth in the last decade. However, one major concern is the practice of treating silk infused with silver ion to enhance silk's anti-microbial performance. Scientists have found that the increasing use of silver ion and nano particles infused in fabric has major consequences that are extremely harmful to the environment, as these particles wash out and are toxic to our waterways. It can also pose serious risk long term to people's health as its use and impact are largely untested and the practice is barely regulated.

In light of this, in our commitment to people and planet and as an advocate for better and sustainable choices, we avoid practices that negatively impact the world we live in. Rather, we invest in highlighting the natural healing properties and natural benefits of silk, whilst allowing the responsible disposal and safe biodegradability of silk products at the end of their useful cycle, to try to leave nothing behind.

iQ SIlk is a luxury brand committed to improving the experience and use of silk, and is passionate and dedicated to reducing the negative impact of textiles on people and planet. Luxury choices can make a difference. Awareness is the first step to minimising this impact and the knowledge that luxury should not be at the cost of the Earth and those in it..

iQ Silk is an advocate for a journey of conscious luxury.

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