Five Things You Should Know Before Buying Silk Flowers

Silk flowers can be a welcome alternative if you’re planning a celebration and a day-of delivery won’t do. Special events call for flowers that look perfect, and if you’re doing the decorating yourself, you may need them well in advance. You can feel good about choosing silk flowers. More and more people consider them these days, because variety, quality, and color options are better than ever. Of course, you need to be choosy. We’ve compiled a list of five things you should know before buying silk flowers to help you make an informed purchase. 1.Silk flowers are not made of silk. Not anymore, that is. Artificial flowers received the “silk” moniker during the 19th century, when they were handcrafted from silk. But by the early 1950s, polyester was the material of choice for constructing silk flowers (and pretty all other mass-produced fabric goods). Though it may not sound as luxurious, polyester is a superior silk flower material, because it keeps its shape and is easy to clean.2. You should purchase six to twelve different flower stems before choosing one as your theme flower. If you’re buying from a brick-and-mortar store, you’ll want to bring your blooms to the space you are decorating to get a good idea of how they’ll look in their surroundings. It’s especially important to sample the wares if you’re buying online, since flowers can look quite different in person than they do on your computer screen. Once you’re sure about your selection, you can go ahead and make that bulk purchase. 3.There are certainly savings to be had when you choose silk flowers for your floral design, but that doesn’t mean you’ll whittle your flower expenses down to nothing. You’ll cut out the labor costs, but quality silk flowers can cost as much, or more, than live flowers.4.Using an out-of-the-ordinary flower as your featured bloom can be a budget saver. Magnolias, poppies and sunflowers can be just as beautiful as roses and orchids, but since they’re not as popular they may be less expensive. Plus, you’ll score points for originality. 5.Silk flowers that aren’t made for outdoor use will probably fade if exposed to prolonged sunlight. If you are planning to display yours outside, be sure to choose flowers that are coated with UV inhibitors to prevent fading.