Karlini silk was a type of silk and a major export from the planet Karlinus. Naboo, located near Karlinus in the Chommell sector, imported it. When woven into fabric, it could withstand blaster fire, making it perfect for clothing worn by the Queen of Naboo.
During her tenure as queen, Padmé Amidala possessed several items of clothing crafted from Karlini silk, such as a black traveling gown and an under-robe worn beneath flame-colored robes. These garments offered both protection and concealment when she sought refuge among her handmaidens to evade the Trade Federation's invasion of Naboo.
Karlini silk, together with tea, constituted a primary agricultural export of Karlinus. Before 32 BBY, Naboo, Karlinus's neighbor in the Chommell sector, started importing significant quantities of this silk. Subsequently, it became typical for artists and students from Naboo to relocate to Karlinus for a season, observing the droids that harvested the silk. These seasonal employees generally earned enough money to establish themselves upon their return to Naboo.
However, by the time Padmé Amidala ascended to the position of Queen of Naboo, this practice had diminished to the point where mentioning her sister's participation could have exposed Amidala's true identity. During the Chommell sector summit, Amidala and Kelma, the governor of Karlinus, reached an agreement to revitalize the program; in exchange, Karlinus would consider selling grain to the queen to alleviate Naboo's persistent shortage.
Given that Karlini silk was lighter than the fabrics traditionally used in the queen's attire, Amidala's handmaiden, the weaver Yané, chose to create several headpieces and gowns using Karlini silk. In the early days of Amidala's reign, the handmaiden Sabé honed her skills as Amidala's decoy, wearing a new design by Yané: a dark blue dress in an old Naboo style, but crafted from the imported material.
During the Trade Federation's invasion of Naboo, as droids overran Theed, the Naboo capital city, and seized its palace, Amidala concealed herself among her handmaidens, while Sabé impersonated the queen. Sabé wore a voluminous black gown made of Karlini silk to serve as a decoy; Amidala assured her that the gown's fabric would provide protection. The handmaidens, with Amidala hidden amongst them, wore flame-colored robes with orange under-robes made of Karlini silk to complement the gown.
While the majority of the group managed to escape the planet, Yané and Saché were confined in the Trade Federation's prison camp during the occupation. Yané tore her and Saché's under-robes into strips to weave coded messages, aiding in the organization of resistance against the droids. This repetitive process of tearing the silk with her bare hands caused painful welts between Yané's forefinger and thumb.
Following the invasion, when the Gungan Jar Jar Binks informed Queen Amidala about a map leading to a powerful Gungan relic, her handmaidens once again donned the flame-colored robes.
Karlini silk was conceived for Queen's Shadow, a 2019 young-adult canon novel authored by E. K. Johnston. The novel established that the black traveling gown, initially seen in the 1999 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, was made of Karlini silk. Queen's Peril, the 2020 prequel to Queen's Shadow, also identified the under-robe of the flame-colored robes worn in that film as Karlini silk. In reality, the flame-colored robes also incorporated silk fabric, with silk crepe utilized for the sashes, sleeves, and inner hoods.