Silk threads used for embroidery undergo different effects of decay due to the absence of twist and textile weave, characteristics which arc added to those that result from silk's sensitivity to environmental factors. In order to understand the deterioration of these types of threads, actual samples of 191h century embroideries from the Franz Mayer Museum collection were analyzed and compared to the changes observed in experimental samples artificially aged by means of controlled uv radiation. The assessment was done via mechanical testing to verify changes in tensile strength, colorimetry to record color changes, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assess the fibers' surface morphology changes.