@Remittancegirl @erik also, as long as you're using a protein-safe detergent (i.e. no enzymes, and acidic rather than alkaline) a lot of silks can go quite safely in the washing machine, especially on a delicates cycle.
others can go in the washing machine and remain usable, but they change properties (so it depends on whether the garment you're making needs those properties)
sartorbohemia.com/article/14/h… ----> this is a shop that tested the fabric they sell and there are a lot of details