Silk is a luxurious fabric that feels soft and light, and it is also expensive. When you spend your hard earned money on silk, you want to be sure that you are getting the real thing. You might come across an item in a thrift shop that doesn’t have a tag, or you might be looking at something that says it is silk, but you aren’t quite sure. Either way, you want to be able to tell the difference.
Rub a Section of the Fabric
When you rub silk, your hands will feel warmth. This only works with real silk. If you try to rub synthetic silk or another fabric, you will notice that it doesn’t generate warmth. This is a simple test that is pretty accurate. You can also bunch up the fabric in your hand, and with real silk, you will hear a light crunching sound.
Examine the Fabric
When you examine real silk, you will notice that the silk threads are triangular and covered in sericin, which is what gives it that luster. Silk tends to have a multicolored shimmer to it, and the colors will change when you change the angle to the light. Fake silk looks more solid, and it may have a white shine to it, but it won’t shimmer the way silk does.
In addition, fake silk is stiff, whereas silk will conform to the person who is wearing it. You can also examine the weave. Silk has many different unique patterns in it, and the minor variations are noticeable. If it is not real silk, the texture may be even and consistent.
Do the Ring Test
One of the oldest tricks is to use a ring to determine whether silk is real. You can take your ring and try to pull the silk fabric through it. If it is silk, it will quickly and easily slide through. Most fake materials will bunch up and may even get stuck on the ring.
You can also check the price. If the item you want to buy is a lot less expensive than silk should be, you might be looking at another fabric. Silk is expensive to make, so companies have to charge a certain minimum or they would be paying you to buy it.
If you follow these tips, you should be able to tell if a fabric is really silk or not. This is important because there is a huge difference in comfort and quality.