“Is this real silk?” is the question we are asked most often — and the honest answer is that a photograph alone cannot settle it. Tube resham can look almost identical to pure silk on a screen.
So we filmed the difference instead. In this short clip you can see how pure resham and tube resham behave differently in hand.
What is tube resham?
Tube resham is the trade name for a man-made filament yarn made to imitate the look of pure mulberry silk (resham). Woven into a saree, it can read as rich and glossy on camera at a much lower cost.
There is nothing wrong with the material itself — plenty of sarees are sold honestly as art silk. The problem is when a tube resham saree is presented, and priced, as pure silk.
How to identify a real silk saree
The burn test, on one snipped thread only: real silk singes, smells like burnt hair, and leaves a soft ash that crumbles between your fingers. Tube resham melts, beads up hard, and smells like burning plastic.
Warmth in the hand: hold a fold in your palm for a few seconds. Pure silk warms up quickly and holds that warmth. Tube resham stays cool and slippery, however soft it feels.
The sheen: genuine silk throws a two-tone shimmer that shifts colour as you turn it under light. Synthetic sheen stays flat, uniform and glassy from every angle.
The rustle: rub a fold of pure silk against itself and you hear a faint, dry crunch. Tube resham is noticeably quieter.
The weave and selvedge: handloom silk carries tiny irregularities across the body and a hand-finished selvedge. Power-loom synthetic pieces tend to be uniform end to end.
Why this matters when you buy a saree
Price is the obvious reason. A pure silk saree and a tube resham lookalike can photograph the same while sitting in completely different price brackets.
Longevity is the quieter one. Pure silk ages well, keeps its drape, and can be reworn or reworked for decades. Synthetic filament tends to flatten and pill with wear.
If you are buying for a wedding, make it a direct question to the seller. Ask what the yarn is, ask what grade the zari is, and ask to see the loom it came off.
Ask us before you buy
If you are unsure about any saree on our site, ask us. We will tell you exactly what yarn and zari has gone into it, and send close-up photos or a short clip from the loom if that helps you decide.
Browse our Kanchi Pattu silk sarees or handloom 2 gram gold zari sarees, or message us with a photo of what you are looking for.