Technology & Silk Flowers?

It is widely believed that the art of making silk flowers was started back in the 27th century BC in China. Not only was silk used for clothing but there is evidence that it was made to make floral replicas. By the 14th century the French had mastered the art and started to improve on the quality of the fabric and their craftsmanship. They didn't really start to catch on in the United States until the 1800's however China still remains the leader in manufacturing of silk flowers to this day.

As technology was improved and the cost of silk was high, manufacturers started using plastic and other materials to make florals. This made the manufacturing cheaper but the quality seemed to dip below the traditional silk flowers. As the cost to manufacture artificial flowers grew higher the technology grew faster and faster. In modern times the artificial florals are made mostly of polyester, foam, latex and plastic however the difference is in the manufacturing process that makes them more realistic than ever before.

The name "silk flowers" stuck because of the way they were made for centuries. The Chinese perfected this art and most of your silk plants, flowers and trees come out of southeast Asia. There are a select few companies in Asia that still make them the old fashioned way but the cost is substantial compared to the modern way of manufacturing and to me the modern way looks much more realistic. So next time you ask for "silk flowers" you now know the history that brought these beautiful home décor items to where they are today.

As technology was improved and the cost of silk was high, manufacturers started using plastic and other materials to make florals. This made the manufacturing cheaper but the quality seemed to dip below the traditional silk flowers. As the cost to manufacture artificial flowers grew higher the technology grew faster and faster. In modern times the artificial florals are made mostly of polyester, foam, latex and plastic however the difference is in the manufacturing process that makes them more realistic than ever before.

The name "silk flowers" stuck because of the way they were made for centuries. The Chinese perfected this art and most of your silk plants, flowers and trees come out of southeast Asia. There are a select few companies in Asia that still make them the old fashioned way but the cost is substantial compared to the modern way of manufacturing and to me the modern way looks much more realistic.

There are many silk plant and flower companies but recently there's been a boom in the online offerings. You have to be careful of who you purchase through because the quality varies from company to company. QualitySilkPlants.com is a company that makes some of the highest quality silk flower arrangements we've ever seen. They have a team of designers that are highly trained and send the product right to your home ready to display right out of the box. Many companies you deal with will ship them to you and then you still have to fan out the arrangement to get it to look like the picture. Unless you're a professional designer, you'll have a hard time getting it to look like the picture.

When searching for silk flowers, look for some of the obvious signs that the flower are not quality. These include fraying around the edges of the petals, Colors that do not look natural and stems that are just cheep looking. High quality ones will have highly detailed stem leaves and petals right down to veins that have been hand painted in some cases. online this may be hard to see however you can usually tell by the price of the flowers. If you're not sure always contact the company before purchasing to find out what their return policies are. This way you're not stuck with them if you don't like them when they arrive. So now that you know a bit about the history of silk plants and where to purchase high quality ones, you can now start your search for the perfect piece for your home.