From the Daodejing, Ziran 自然 speaks to what is natural, self-so, and in harmony with the world. It guides our materials, our process, and our ethos: from heritage craft to conscious making. Ziran is not just our name. It is our way.

From The Pearl River

Xiang Yun Sha Silk

Our special silk literally translates to "perfumed cloud clothing" in Chinese and is pronounced SHUNG YOON SHAH. Skilled artisans have been hand making Xiang Yun Sha silk for 500 years in one small region in southern China.

No harsh chemicals are used, and the entire process works in harmony with the earth. In a world increasingly dominated by synthetic fibers and plastic-based textiles, our silk remains entirely natural: breathable, anti-microbial, wrinkle-resistant, and exceptionally soft. It feels like butter on the skin.

How It's Made

Uncle Bo is a master craftsman who dyes Ziran silk by hand. The textile is colored using shu liang root - a Chinese yam that grows for 7 years before it is harvested and pressed into dye. It carries a naturally sweet, earthy scent and is the only dye used in the process.

Our silk is made only during the summer, when the sun is highest. 15 yard bundles are stretched and baked in the sun. If it rains the silk cannot be made. Nature sets the pace.

Iron-rich mud from the Pearl River is brushed across the silk. The iron in the mud reacts with tannins from the dye, transforming the textile and creating Xiang Yun Sha silk.

The silk is carried by hand to the river and washed. This entire process is repeated up to 30 times to achieve the desired texture and color. As a result, every yard is unique, and truly one of a kind.

To The World

How We Make

Our pieces are proudly Made in China in a family-run factory grounded in craftsmanship, transparency, and fair labor practices.

At Ziran, we aim to foster reciprocal, mutually beneficial relationships across our entire supply chain - working with openness and responsibility from sourcing through production..

Cultural Heritage

Our silk is part of a living cultural lineage, crafted through generations of knowledge, skill, and care.

“Made in China” is often misunderstood, reduced to assumptions that overlook the depth of craft and human expertise behind it. The reality is an ecosystem of people - artisans, dyers, farmers, sewers - whose work sustains traditions that continue to evolve today.

Ziran does not claim ownership of this heritage. We participate in it. We work alongside the craft and its keepers, helping carry it forward with care, context, and respect.

By choosing Ziran, you support the continuation of this living practice. Not as nostalgia, but as something still relevant, human, and unfolding.

Ziran Innovation

We are the first brand to introduce Xiang Yun Sha silk outside of Asia, bringing this heritage textile into new cultural and creative contexts.

At Ziran, innovation means expanding the silk's future. We continually develop proprietary fabrications and garment silhouettes beyond its traditional use - bridging East and West by integrating diverse perspectives, experiences, and design languages into something new.

Our work is grounded in tradition, while allowing this craft to grow and evolve... as all natural things do.

Our Mission

Ziran is a sustainable silk line rooted in storytelling, purpose, and cultural lineage. Working with Xiang Yun Sha silk places us within a living tradition shaped by generations of knowledge and practice. Core to our Mission is reclaiming "Made in China," recognizing the craftsmanship, humanity, and depth of culture it truly represents, while honoring the ecological balance that sustains it.

Kelly Wang Shanahan is the Creative Director and Founder of Ziran. She established the line in 2016 after questioning the waste, speed, and lack of intention she experienced within the fashion system. During her academic research into ancient Chinese textile traditions, she encountered Xiang Yun Sha silk - an unearthing that reshaped her understanding of material, craft, and cultural continuity. Its beauty and significance became the starting point for Ziran’s path forward.

Kelly is guided by a strong value system of sustainability, social responsibility, accountability, and purpose.