Pongee

pon-je,' a soft, unbleached, washable silk woven in China. The name is a corruption of a Chinese word signifying home-woven. It is made usually from the silk of wild silkworms. The finer pongees are often bleached, dyed, and printed after importation and sold under the name of China silks. Pongee is cool, soft, and more easily washed and ironed than any other textile. It is an ideal summer fabric. An American made pongee is now on the market which is as satisfactory as the imported fabric. It is frequently woven with an admixture of linen, which adds firmness and body without detracting from the beauty of the texture.