IDENTIFY NATURAL SILK AND HAND-LOOM PRODUCTS

Today, the market is flooded with poor quality, cheap imitations of natural silk and handloom products. Although the trained eye of a professional craftsman or connoisseur is often the best judge. Artificial AKA Art silk must be patronized but not in the name of Natural silk.  Artificial silk cannot replicate Natural silk. Powerlooms are also operated by humans, nothing wrong with wearing 'Powerloom' but it should be called that not Handloom!

We lament that the craft is not what it used to be, it has lost its refinement and sophistication but we are the ones not ready to pay for high-quality. It's important to first know the fair prices before calling something 'reasonable' or 'overpriced'.                                    

Every product can find its customers but it should be called what it is. Selling it in the name of something else is unethical and unfair. I urge you all to be vigilant as customers! It's the question of the survival of a craft and the thousands of craftsmen/women that it supports. Please spare them a thought. Not every seller is out to cheat, many resellers themselves aren't aware of these issues. Most people working in the supply chain aren't well-versed with textiles. Every lustrous fabric becomes pure silk for them. This has become the norm but it has to stop. I urge not just customers but also resellers, retailers to be more inquisitive. Please research and ask questions more at your level to make the trade fair.

Here are some tips from One Sequin to help you distinguish the sublime from the ridiculous!

• NATURAL SILK VS ARTIFICIAL SILK

        

                        NATURAL SILK                                ARTIFICIAL SILK

  

	NATURAL  SILK  (Left Picture )	Artificial  SILK (Right Picture )
Fiber	Natural Silk is a natural protein fiber.	Artificial silk or art silk is any synthetic fiber which resembles silk.
Touch Test	Pure silk feels warm when you rub the silk with your hands.	Whereas it is impossible to feel that warmth when you rub art silk.
Luster	Natural silk has an elegant luster of a pearl. The structure of fibroin of pure silk diffuses light, thus giving it the appearance of changing color as the angle of light changes.	Art silk gives a whiteand flashy sheen no matter what the angle of falling light is.
Burning Test   Pluck out a few threads from the garment and light a fire at the end of the threads.	●        Genuine silk burns slowly, curls away from the flame with a smell like burnt human hair and turns into ash that is a dark, gritty, fine powder which can be easily crushed. ●        Stops burning when the flame is removed. ●        It gives out little or no smoke and fume has no hazard.	●     Art silk burns with a smell like burning plastic. ●        art silk continues to burn even after the flame is taken away
THE AGE TEST	The older pure silk gets, the more beautiful it becomes!	Imitation silk tends to fade with time. At Tilfi, we only use pure, natural fabrics.

 

 

• HANDLOON VS POWERLOOM

“When buying from a hand-maker, you're buying more than just an object, you're buying hundreds of hours of failures and experimentation. You are buying days, weeks and months of frustration and moments of pure joy. You aren't just buying a thing; you are buying a piece of heart, part of a soul, a moment of someone's life. Most importantly, you're buying the artist more time to do something they are passionate about.”

       

HANDWOVEN/HANDLOOM GARMENT                POWERLOOM/ MACHINE MADE 

( Images above are taken holding a magnifying glass or pig glass, however you can differentiate holding up the fabric closely  in bright sunlight or lamp )

 

	HANDLOOM/HANDWOVEN GARMENT	POWERLOOM/ MACHINEMADE GARMENT
Weaving Pattern	A hand-woven garment has minor irregularities in the evenness of the weave that add to its unique charm.	Machine woven garments are even in texture and often flawless and hence, lack the allure and character of a handwoven garment.
Texture	Handlooms are soft to the touch.	While power loom fabrics tend to have a rougher feel.
Pin marks	Corresponding pin marks pierce the top and bottom edge of fabric at regular intervals, indicating the spots where fabric has been pinned to the wooden loom to maintain tension while weaving.	There are no pin marks on the edge. It’s plain and even.