Quick quide for silk selection Silk is a spun commodity that requires more knowledge and understanding than most people think. Silk produced in different parts of the world has different properties and textures. Chinese silk, for example, tends to be smooth and satiny while Indian silk is softer with richer colors and a crinkled look. Italian silk has an elegant look of high fashion, and Thai silk shows natural blended textures and patterns that are traditionally Southeast Asian. Thai silk products include fabric lengths in 2- ply and 4-ply, shirts, blouses, scarves, neckties, bathrobes, kimonos, men's suits, ladies’ silk jackets, bedcovers and home furnishings. Prices sometimes differ greatly depending on whether you buy at a factory site or in a shop or stall at Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar. In selecting silk products, shoppers should be aware that a new line of imitation silk is also sold in Thailand. This is not found at the silk factories and showrooms, but sometimes it is seen at bazaars and smaller shops. Some visitors have mistakenly purchased the imitation because producers of the imitation product label it "Real Thai Silk." Recognizing Real Silk: Five basic guidelines can be used to identify all-natural Thai silk -- price, weave, luster, print, and the burn test. Generally, for a 100-percent silk item, expect the coast to range from 600 Baht to 2,500 Baht, depending on the item. The same item in imitation silk will be priced from 100 Baht to 250 Baht. Weave is another indication. Real silk is completely handmade of a natural fiber and thus clearly shows small flaws or joins in the thread along the warp and the weft. Imitation polyester, on the other hand, is machine-made and has a perfect surface with no flaws or bumps. Luster is the third guideline, and a small light test shows whether a fabric is real or imitation. Thai silk is made with one color for the warp and one color for the weft, which gives it a natural sheen and luster and makes it unique. Hold a piece of natural silk up to the light. Its overall color tone will change depending on the angle of light. Imitation silk shines white regardless of angle. In 100-percent Thai silk, the printed pattern will be on one side with only an outline of the print on the reverse side. When both sides are held up to the light, only the full print side will change color. Colors are not evident on the reverse side. With an imitation print, the pattern print and colors can be seen on one side while a plain color can be seen on the reverse side; and, both sides shine white when held to the light. Thai silk is one of the finest fabrics in the world. We hope this small guide will help you in your selections.