I am happy to buy 'Thai silk' some of which is not real silk but silky soft with a lovely sheen and flattering fit. The fabric looks glamorous. It is easy to look after, does not get dirty, but can be washed. It does not crease easily. It is not see-through. It looks expensive.
I recently bought a pure silk item from an ebay seller. It was lined and stretchy but did not look classy and had no label.
I wrote back to the seller: What makes you think it is silk? If so, 100%, 50% Imitation? Silk-like? What evidence do you have that it is silk?
I looked up the tests which seem to be setting fire to the item - in a safe place - not in your house - not where vegetation can catch fire - and without destroying the object but extracting threads - all things which I do not wish to do!
The seller said she had it hand-made overseas for a daughter's wedding. I'll show examples of silk I have seen in shops and which you can buy from catalogues or on ebay.
1 Noil silk is bobbly. It feels rough. What's the point? (If you like it, it's available from Patra, who also do other silks of all kinds.)
2 Stiff, heavy genuine Thai silk, with uneven threads, used for boxy jackets. Expensive. Label Jim Thomson.
3 Heavy silk.
4 Silk mixed with cotton.
5 Silk mixed with elastane to give stretch.
6 Fine silk used for scarves and light dresses. Flows well. Can cling. Fragile - fabric easily torn. garments can be pulled apart at the hems as you pull garments on and off.
7 Imitation 'Thai' silk. Stiffer. From Northern tribes with an oval all over pattern. Classy.
8 Some have a great sheen and are mixed with gold for wrap skirts. Gold elephants can be repeating pattern all over or in a band at the hem. Elephants are the Thai Symbol. (My joke: A buyer never forgets!)
9 Silk velvet can be either a mix, such as a flat pure silk, or silk base mix fabric, with other fibre inserted, or entirely silk. Silk velvet is often devore, or cut-out, with a pattern in the velvet and sheer fabric making it light and pretty.
10 The softest silk I've found is sand-washed silk.
I recently bought a pure silk item from an ebay seller. It was lined and stretchy but did not look classy and had no label.
I wrote back to the seller: What makes you think it is silk? If so, 100%, 50% Imitation? Silk-like? What evidence do you have that it is silk?
I looked up the tests which seem to be setting fire to the item - in a safe place - not in your house - not where vegetation can catch fire - and without destroying the object but extracting threads - all things which I do not wish to do!
The seller said she had it hand-made overseas for a daughter's wedding. I'll show examples of silk I have seen in shops and which you can buy from catalogues or on ebay.
1 Noil silk is bobbly. It feels rough. What's the point? (If you like it, it's available from Patra, who also do other silks of all kinds.)
2 Stiff, heavy genuine Thai silk, with uneven threads, used for boxy jackets. Expensive. Label Jim Thomson.
3 Heavy silk.
4 Silk mixed with cotton.
5 Silk mixed with elastane to give stretch.
6 Fine silk used for scarves and light dresses. Flows well. Can cling. Fragile - fabric easily torn. garments can be pulled apart at the hems as you pull garments on and off.
Caftans in silk fabric with oriental flower patterns, sold in Singapore. Some dresses are silk, some a good imitation. Look at the label or ask the seller.
Thai 'silk' with lovely sheen - my favourite.
Gold and silver tops.
Patra in the UK has a catalogue and website. Noil silk is bobbly.
You can buy Thai 'silk' in dark colours or bright colours with contrasting gold.
You can buy tops sleeveless or with short or long sleeves, jackets, dresses, fishermen's wraparound trousers with bell bottoms, matching top and skirt outfits, or try to order sets, but each batch is different even from the same supplier as the factories may vary or be hand-dyeing. Some of the gold sets are sold as 'wedding' outfits.
7 Imitation 'Thai' silk. Stiffer. From Northern tribes with an oval all over pattern. Classy.
8 Some have a great sheen and are mixed with gold for wrap skirts. Gold elephants can be repeating pattern all over or in a band at the hem. Elephants are the Thai Symbol. (My joke: A buyer never forgets!)
9 Silk velvet can be either a mix, such as a flat pure silk, or silk base mix fabric, with other fibre inserted, or entirely silk. Silk velvet is often devore, or cut-out, with a pattern in the velvet and sheer fabric making it light and pretty.
10 The softest silk I've found is sand-washed silk.
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