Thailand’s signature product is silk and it is known world over as the finest. Silk from Thailand is the strongest and it is also more durable for dying, which makes it capable of producing a greater variety of colors and patterns. The silk is woven into beautiful fabrics and garments associated with the culture in Thailand.

Silk is widely available in the markets of Phuket. you can buy it in loose form or from skilled tailors that make jackets, tunis, shirts and dresses at a moments notice. You can also choose between lower priced silk vendors or pick a custom or preset design from a tailor.

There are a wide array of silk shops and tailors in Phuket, most notably in Patong. Almost every hotel has a tailor just outside its doors. These tailors offer low prices and high quality so don’t ignore their offers for service. The markets also sell silk in Thai design and plain thread.

The silk in Phuket comes from Northeast Thailand. There it is woven by hand for hundreds of years and it is produced for an inexpensive price. This hand woven silk has a distinctive feel, and can be identified by the lumps from knotting. This type of silk is of higher quality. it is harvested from silkworms from farms in the Khorat plateau in Isaan, The weaving is primarily done in Chiang Mai.

While shopping you may also come across synthetic silk labeled Chinese silk. It is not real Thai silk, but it is lighter and cheaper. It is okay, but it only last about one season.

You can tell real silk from synthetic using a few different methods. Real silk burns like hair and gives off a acrid smell. Synthetic silk will makes a hard resin and will continue to burn by itself. Considering you can’t burn silk when buying it you need another identification method to use for shopping. Genuine silk should be two-tone when you move the fabric in the light. Real silk will also have imperfections like thread breaks and tiny bumps, synthetic silk looks like a flawless single strand.

In the markets thai silk is sold with a pattern weave. The best silk is found in silk shops and boutiques, but it comes at cost because the price is far greater. That said, most shops guarantee the silk to be a good grade. A scarf made of 100% silk in the market should cost you around 500 baht.

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