Shop for artificial plants and you will meet three words again and again: silk, plastic and real-touch. They sound like marketing jargon, but each describes a genuinely different material with its own look, feel, best use and price. Knowing what they mean makes it far easier to pick the right plant for the right spot — and to understand why two similar-looking pieces can cost very different amounts.
"Silk" artificial plants
"Silk" is a slightly old-fashioned catch-all for fabric-based foliage and flowers. Despite the name, modern versions are almost always polyester rather than real silk, cut and printed to mimic petals and leaves. They excel at soft, delicate subjects — think artificial flowers and blossom — where a fabric petal drapes, folds and catches light more naturally than rigid plastic ever could. The trade-offs: fabric gathers dust more readily, should not be soaked to clean, and is not suited to outdoor use, as damp and sun degrade it.
Plastic (moulded) artificial plants
Injection-moulded plastic (often PE or PVC) is the workhorse material, used for the majority of leaves, stems and trunks. Quality varies enormously here, which is why "plastic" is not automatically a dirty word: cheap plastic looks shiny and flat, while premium moulded foliage carries fine pressed veining, matte finishes and layered colour. Plastic is durable, wipes clean in seconds and, when UV-stabilised, stands up to the outdoors — making it the practical, hard-wearing choice for structural greenery, foliage plants and trees.
Real-touch artificial plants
Real-touch is the premium tier and the most convincing of all. Leaves, petals and stems are coated in a soft polyurethane polymer that feels remarkably like a living plant — slightly rubbery, cool to the touch and pliable, with a naturally matte surface that never shines falsely. On artificial roses, orchids and tropical foliage the effect is striking; people genuinely cannot tell until they look very closely, and often not even then. It costs more to produce, but for statement pieces at eye level — the ones guests will touch — it is money well spent.
How to tell them apart in a listing
Product descriptions usually state the material, but the photos give it away too. Fabric flowers show soft, slightly translucent petals; standard plastic looks solid and can shine; real-touch has a consistent matte, almost velvety finish and is nearly always described as such because it is a selling point. If a plant will be handled or seen up close, look specifically for the real-touch label.
Which should you choose?
There is no single winner — the right material depends on the job. Use silk/fabric for delicate flowers and soft, drapey arrangements; quality plastic for durable structural plants, foliage and anything outdoors or in a busy household; and real-touch where the plant will be seen and touched up close and realism is everything. In practice, many of the best displays quietly mix all three.
Frequently asked questions
Is real-touch better than silk? For realism up close, yes — but silk fabric can look more natural on very delicate blooms, so it depends on the plant.
Are plastic artificial plants bad quality? Not at all; premium moulded plastic is durable and realistic. Quality depends on the finish and colour, not the material name.
Which material is best for outdoors? UV-stabilised plastic — fabric and untreated materials fade and degrade outside. Explore materials across our artificial plants collection and choose by feel as well as looks, with free UK delivery over £30.
