What Are Faux Plants Made Of?

For newcomers to artificial plants, a common starter question is what material is used to manufacture them.

As a decorative element, faux plants are meant to imitate the look of a natural plant. To accomplish this, there’s never been a limitation on what material one can use.

Flowers in particular are very colorful and vibrant, and can be made from plastic, glass, or elements like gold and silver.

Different Cultures, Different Materials

Faux plants have been around for centuries, dating back to Ancient Egypt even. Back then, painted linens and horn shavings were used to create fake flowers. In Ancient Rome, gold and silver were the go-to materials for artificial plants. Chinese culture used rice paper, the Italians transformed silkworm cocoons into them, and in South America, colored feathers were their preferred material.

An Unfortunate Rise of Low-Quality Plastic Fake Flowers

Mass-produced artificial plants, in an effort to produce them quickly, are usually made from polyester. Early on with the invention of the fake plant market, a lot of what was produced resembled anything but a flower. They were very clearly fakes. The technology didn’t exist to manufacture anything better. Thankfully, that’s changed.

How Today’s Technology Changed the Way We Make Artificial Plants

Using today’s high-end manufacturing machinery and accompanying design software, companies like ArtiPlanto specializing in premium-made faux plants can create so much more detail than what was possible years ago. The synthetic fabrics used have also improved. The product has become infinitely more elegant, beautiful, and realistic.

If You’re Going to Buy Fake Plants, Go Premium-Made

They still sell fake plants at local dollar stores and such, however, they’re usually not worth purchasing. They’re low-quality and your basic plastic. If you truly want to have a faux plant, premium-made is the only way to go. This way, you know you’re getting the best high-quality product. You will receive a flawless-looking fake plant and won’t have to worry about color-fading, lack of style, or a dated appearance years down the road.

What’s the Most Realistic-Looking Faux Plant Material?

Most would agree – particularly as it applies to faux greenery – that the most realistic-looking material to make them from is silk. A silk plant is crafted from protein fiber spun by silkworms. Sometimes, what are marketed as ‘silk plants’ are a combination of polyester, polymers, and plastic.

Why Are Silk Plants So Expensive?

There is a cost difference between silk plants and other types of artificial plants. Silk plants take significant time and effort to create. They need to be carefully designed. The machines that manufacture them have to go through more processes to achieve their detailed look. The protocols in place to maintain quality standards are also more stringent than they are in other factories. That said, despite the cost, what you receive in return is the best-looking faux plant available.