| One silk flower is not like ever other silk flower, they | | | | an unusually low point in history. The term "permanent |
| are all as unique as the quality of wine. I can remember | | | | botanicals" became the term most florist used for silk |
| 50 years ago creating zinnias and roses from crepe | | | | and other artificial flowers for many years. |
| paper and thinking, I had created the utmost flower | | | | Most flowers are now from the cotton/polyester blend |
| ever but in fact, the only things remarkable about my | | | | fabrics that hold color dyes, retain their textures and |
| early "flowers" were their individuality. This was the | | | | display well, exceeding any manufactured product |
| beginning of my love of flowers and it did not matter | | | | from the past. Today's flowers are magnificently real |
| to me, at that time, their poor quality. In the 1960's | | | | that to look at them from a distance one could never |
| crepe paper flowers gave way to colored thin foam | | | | tell the authentic from a silk that you almost have to |
| sheets which only increased there durability by not | | | | touch them to distinguish from nature's own. I challenge |
| fading as quickly as crepe paper. | | | | you to walk into a hotel lobby or a fine restaurant and |
| It is stated that the Chinese mastered the skills of | | | | see if you can tell the difference from a silk floral |
| working with silk more then 5000 years ago and in turn | | | | arrangement or the real plant. Some high quality |
| created the elaborate silk floral replicas. As early as | | | | flowers are hand painted to give that illusion of real |
| the twelfth century, Marco Polo brought the art crafts | | | | blooms and stems. |
| to the Italians who began making artificial flowers and | | | | Silk flowers are so well crafted one would never |
| in the 14th century, the French continued to improve | | | | guess the authenticity. These beauties captivate me |
| the quality of both fabrics and fabric flowers that they | | | | and I have to step close to touch them to see if they |
| became know as the best. | | | | are in fact real. I have seen silk floral arrangements |
| Manufacturers have tired to recreate the beauty of | | | | designed with a mix of silk flowers and leaves with |
| perishable flowers and the mass production of the | | | | real plants and I cannot tell the difference, I commend |
| "plastic flower", kept the interest in artificial flowers at | | | | the florist designer their creativity. |