With the softness of silk, soy fabric or “vegetable cashmere” is one of the world’s most eco-friendly fabrics. Produced using soy protein derived from the hulls of soybeans, this intriguing textile takes a waste product and transforms it into a usable textile with minimal use of toxic chemicals and limited processing.

Soy fabric has excellent drape, and it is highly elastic. While this textile dyes well, colors sometimes bleed during the first few washings. Though reasonably prone to pilling, soy fabric does not wrinkle, and it doesn’t shrink.

Soy fabric also has unique properties due to its chemical composition. For instance, this textile is UV-resistant, and it is also highly antimicrobial. Due to its light-reflective qualities, soy fabric looks like silk in addition to being very soft and lightweight.

How much does soy fabric cost?

The cost of soy fabric is usually comparable to that of low-priced synthetic and natural textiles like cotton and polyester. In some cases, the novelty of soy fabric may drive the price of this textile material higher, but producing soy fabric does not cost considerably more than producing similar natural and artificial fabrics.

What different types of soy fabric are there?

Each manufacturing process results in slightly different forms of soy fabric, but this textile has largely universal traits. It is, however, possible to blend soy fabric with other textiles to improve or alter its properties. Here are a few examples of the available varieties of soy fabric:

1. Pure soy fabric

Soy fabric made strictly with processed soy protein is stretchy, breathable, and highly lustrous. Its durability is, however, relatively low, and dyeing pure soy fabric can sometimes be tricky.

2. Soy-cotton blends

Textile manufacturers commonly blend soy fabric with cotton to improve its durability. Blended soy-cotton fabrics retain the silk-like lustre of pure soy fiber while adopting the strength of cotton. As a result, apparel manufacturers commonly use soy-cotton blends to make athletic wear.

3. Soy-wool blends

While less common these days, Henry Ford briefly popularized combinations of soy fabric and wool during the mid-20th century. Blend soy-wool fabrics retain the elasticity and softness of soy fabric while benefiting from the insulative and durable properties of wool.