Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-19
ADULTERATED SILKS.
USE OF METALLIC CHEMICALS BY
ENGLISH MANUFACTURERS.
Making Poor Fabrics for Cheap Trade
Stuff That Will Not
Wear.
From the London Telegraph.

From the London Telegraph
There are signs not to be ignored that
the excessive adulteration of silk by means
of metallic chemical weighing to which
attention has lately been directed has gone
to such serious extent as to defeat it's
own ends, and to cause ladies to ignore
the cheap and attractively appearing wares
to an unexpected extent. The leading Or
gan of the drapery trade pointedly sug
gested recently that the public is discov-
ering the weakness engendered by the pres
ence of large proportion of metal in the
ow-priced but Snowy silk cloths, and cites
the direct demand on the part of a Gus
toner for a guarantee that the silk she
was purchasing contained no such dress
ing. Inquiries made in the city quite con-
firm the fact that silk in it's cheaper grades
is now being looked on with much suspi-
clon. In one instance the question was ad-
dressed to the head of a firm doing what
is known as a high-class wholesale trade
in understands.
Demand Decreasing.
His reply was emphatic that for cheap
silk petticoats the demand was perceptibly
falling off. Cheapness, 1t would seem, has
been the first consideration in catering for
this particular market, until buyers have
discovered that their wonderful sale bar
GAIN at lbs. lid, warranted to rustic"
u.s. indeed, costly outlay. After it had
been worn two or three times it had "cut"
or slit in all directions, and was therefore,
quite useless. 1t must be patent to any
intelligent person that reals silk at such
price was an impOssibility, but the bril-
liant aniline coloring, the crisp little frills,
and the suggestion of luxury were for
time irresistible Even in it's higher de-
grees 1t is less in request, for extravaganza
has it's limits. and finest batiste with end
less lace and embroidery is being preferred.
Pretty Underskirts.
1t would seem that the average buyer does
not care to spend more than guinea on
an underskirt. While it is impossible to
give reliable silk at that price, there is
no difficulty whatever in turning out a. real
ly charming and well-finished moirette
within that figure. Manufacturers have
been devoting extraordinary pains to the
perfecting of this fabric. which, in its
higher qualities, is silk faced. 1t will
take the brightest as we'll as the softest
of colorings; 1t can be plain or "watered'
or surface, striped with satin, or brocaded.
Newer than these effects however, are
those chine-printed, and some with a
ground of duck s-egg blue, or old pink
with flowers in blurred, indistinct shadings
are admirable. No less trouble is expended
on making them up in the great factories of
Finsbury Islihgton and elsewhere. The
best models, either on Partisan or American
lines, are secured, and tucks, frills, piping
and finest accordion killing freely used
to turn out what are elaborate and at
tractive wares, and hardly less dainty and
fascinating than silk itself.
Salts Of Tin
The situation Is similar with regard to
blouses. Two or three years ago the glace
silk skirt was regular and recognized in
stitution in the shops, but here again the
insensate competition of mere cheapnesS
came in, and salts of tin were more and
more substituted for the silken strands. A
satisfactory substitute was found in the
fine thin Japanese washing silks, which
come in the rough. raw state from the far
east to be finished and dyed at Maccles-
field, Bradford and other centers, and one
need only study any diapers window to
blouses and dresses. But today, as may
be learned in the city, the rivalry of fine
delaineS is going to be intensely keen during
the coming months. The coloring and
printing of these far surpass anything
shown before, and pretty lace and trim
them for blouses' with lavish profusion.
Linen, too, later on will be in high favor.
Those experienced in meeting popular
tastes are of opinion that the reaction
against such grossly adulterated silks has
already begun, and they point further to
the success that is attending on the pres
ent novelties in trimmings and laces as a
proof that ladies are realizing that smart
ness and good effect are obtainable in other
ways than exclusively with silk. From
the point of view of the English manufac-
turer this is entirely advantageous, for
found out came from Italy and Germany,
those from France being of higher quality
and cost, and thus not entering so extern
sively into the competitive showiness