The term silk flowers applies to a wide variety of fabric flowers which are sold to florists. Silk nylon, cotton, rayons and blends of each are commonly used. There is also great variability in the grades of fabric utilized to create silk flowers, thus a variety of quality and price levels.
Silk flowers are available in two basic types. Molded plastic stemmed flowers and hand wrapped silks. Molded flowers are usually made of polyester, which is heat molded in a die form to create the petals. These are placed on a stem made of wire covered with plastic. Molded flowers are usually less expensive than hand wrapped silks. These silks are usually produced with multiple flowers on a single stem. Silk bushes and bouquets are frequently made with this type of silk flowers .
The petals of hand wrapped silks are usually cut with a stamp, then attached to wire and positioned to create the flower. The flower is thus secured to a wire stem which is hand wrapped with floral tape. The flowers may be hand painted or hand dyed, a process which makes the flowers look real. Hand wrapped silk are more expensive because of its labour required to produce them. These flowers are usually sold individually .
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