What's Real Silk?

How do you tell if the silk is real or fake?

The simplest way to tell if silk fabric is real or fake is with a burn test.

REAL silk is a natural protein-based fibre that burns quickly with a smell similar to burning hair or feathers, self-extinguishes rather than turning into a flame, and leaves behind a brittle crumbly black ash.

FAKE silk (often made from polyester) melts rather than burns, curls away from the flame, has a strong burnt plastic smell, and leaves behind hard sticky balls of residue that cannot be crushed.

At Silk Base we are proud to use 100% silk fabrics.

Here's a photo of a burn test conducted in-house on a Mid-Waisted Brief made from 100% silk jersey