Jewel Silk Swabs are made from 100% china silk. As a swab material silk is a superior choice. Silk is very absorbent, lint-free and compresses very easily reducing the possibility of jamming. Jewel Saxophone swabs pull easily through leaving no damp bar or cloth stored inside which can cause pads to deteriorate and tarnish the finish. When you pull a Jewel Swab through the instrument, you can feel the draw of the swab along the inside bore as it cleans and soaks up moisture.