Sunrise silk

Sunrise silk is a luxury fabric produced in the Singing Isles region of the Skaisles. The term "sunrise silk" technically refers to the dyeing process, which can be used to dye any type of fabric; however, it is most commonly used to dye silk or high-quality linen.
Sunrise silk is prized for its vibrant colors, which appear to shift with an almost iridescent quality. Each piece of the fabric is unique, and may have a variety of colors across the piece. The coloration of sunrise silk mimics that of a sky at dawn, with bright red, orange, pink, and purple colors. Many pieces also have faint, scattered cloud-like markings, or a sun-like mark.
The details of the dyeing process are a closely guarded secret known only to an enclave of people who inhabit a small island in the Singing Isles, known locally as Indigo Island. Though most details of the process are secret, various rumors and elements related to its production have spread to those interested in textiles or those who often purchase sunrise silk. Its creation is said to require dragon scales, as well as extracts from several tropical plants which are endemic to Indigo Island. To learn the process, one must undergo a years-long training regimen which includes ecological, agricultural, and chemical training, as well as history lessons and training in weaving fabric. Despite the involvement, many Indigo Islanders do complete the training, and sunrise silk is the island's main export.
As the fabric is highly prized worldwide, and the process of making it is emphasized in the local culture, the knowledge is not considered endangered. Indigo Islanders have consistently indicated that they are not interested in recording the process of creating sunrise silk, which is a wholly oral tradition, and details of it are conspicuously absent from literature and art from the region.
Sunrise silk dyers describe the process as guiding the dye, but not controlling it. The colors and patterns on a given piece of sunrise silk are not intentionally designed. As a result, sewing with the material is notoriously difficult. Techniques to create appealing garments from multiple pieces are not secret, and skilled designers around the world may be adept in working with sunrise silk, though individuals with such training are few and far between. Due to the difficulty and high cost, the vast majority of pieces are fashioned into garments that do not require tailoring or altering the piece of fabric. Sunrise silk scarves, belts, sashes, head wraps, and capes are common uses of the fabric. Alternatively, a garment may utilize one panel of sunrise silk while the remainder of the garment is made from another material.
Sunrise silk is expensive due to the rare materials and high skill required to create it. Combined with the high demand for the beautiful fabric, the cost is often even higher. As a result, it may be used as a family heirloom, or as a status symbol by wealthy individuals or families. Markets exist for both smuggling the material into Threshold, as well as creating forged sunrise silk.

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Textile