When you want to look fashionable and effortless, one of the first pieces of advice you’re given is, to accessorize! Like people, homes and interiors look their best when they’re decorated and styled. Artificial flowers, also known as faux flowers, are one of the best accessories a home can use. These decor items add color, dimension, and atmosphere to your home environment while being low-maintenance and more versatile than their real counterpart.
A Brief History of Silk Flowers
Artificial flowers aren’t a new phenomenon. It’s believed that people have been using silk, cotton, and linen flora to decorate their homes and venues starting as far back as 1500 years ago!
Fake flowers are not a modern invention. Artistic replications of flowers can be found in historical records as far back as ancient cave art. We know the ancient Egyptians used faux plants in headgear, to adorn their outfits, and to decorate their homes.
That said, the first recorded use of the silk flowers that are so ubiquitous today was in Ancient China, where noblewomen in the imperial court used paper and then silk flowers – produced by silkworms – to decorate their elaborate hairstyles. Midway through the 6th century, as trade routes began expanding, China’s silk monopoly was disrupted, and the idea of delicately spun faux flowers spread to other parts of the Asiatic continent.
Silk flowers now have a storied cultural history in countries like Japan and Korea, and in modern times are available all over the world and accessible to the average person – not just emperors and noble ladies! The evolution of artificial flowers has created a diverse market of products and timeless accessories made with materials like satin, cotton, paper, nylon, polyester … and, of course, silk. Because silk is intimately tied to the faux flower origin story, many people use “silk flowers” as a catch-all term, even when the material isn’t really silk anymore.
5 Benefits of Faux Flowers
The history and popularity of a thing aren’t reason enough to invest in it. Let’s talk a bit about just a few of the many benefits of using artificial flowers in your home.
They Are Everlasting
One of the main benefits of choosing artificial flowers over live clippings is their lifespan. Of course, fresh flowers, when they are high-quality products from a reputable company, can last you anywhere from three days to two weeks. Faux flowers can last years, with far less care and attention necessary to keep them looking their best. When they are well-maintained and high quality, anything from our real touch phalaenopsis to our hanging silk cherry blossoms can become an all-season aesthetic addition to your home.
They Are Cost Effective
While real flowers can be at first glance more affordable than their artificial counterparts, they rack up replacement costs over time. Unless you’re planning for a one-and-done event where the floral freshness of a real bouquet will bring that extra magic to the room, the higher up-front cost of artificial flowers will become worth it after multiple re-uses.
They can be made to order, and don’t require any additional money spent on plant sprays and botanical accessories to stay alive. All you need is a styrofoam base and a pretty pot, and you can call it a day!
They are Low Maintenance
When you buy real flowers, there is without a doubt some maintenance required. From cutting the stems to changing the water to pruning when necessary, each floral arrangement has different needs and a different temperament. Keeping track of what plant to water when, which bush you need to trim, and what flowers need extra fertilizer to stay full and blooming can be a pain for someone without a green thumb. Not to mention the task of cleaning up and disposing of the flowers once they die!
With artificial flowers, you don’t have to worry about sunlight, water, or plant food. You can put these pieces on display in any part of your home and trust that they won’t wither away and will always look their best.
They Are Hypoallergenic
Many people who suffer from seasonal allergies, especially to pollen, can breathe easy knowing that the beautiful faux flower display in their living room won’t clog up their sinuses. All faux flowers are hypoallergenic bunches, unless you’re allergic to the material they’re made with — and there are so many of those to choose from, you always have options!
While faux flowers are hypoallergenic, they can collect dust in a dusty home. One way of managing this issue is by using our
Because of this, artificial flowers are also safe to use as decor in medical facilities, around animals, in veterinary clinics, and, of course, in your home or office. If you love the idea of having flowers in your home but are at a disadvantage because of your allergies, artificial flowers are the ideal solution for you.
They Are Made for All Seasons and Reasons
Who says you can’t have peonies in February or lilacs in September? One of the greatest benefits of artificial flowers is their customizability and season-round accessibility. You can have your favorite flower decorating your space no matter the month, and if you source it from a high-quality wholesaler like Wholesale Flowers and Supplies, you can guarantee it will look almost as fresh, beautiful, and authentic as the real thing. Finally, if you want to reuse them for a different event or style of decoration, you can paint over the original color with spray paint!
Whatever the season or reason, our faux and silk flowers are versatile, affordable, and intricately crafted decorating accessories that can be customized to suit whatever your venue’s needs are. Faux flowers are useable both indoors and, if shaded well, outdoors, can always also be repurposed, and can be custom-made according to your preferences. If you need flowers for a wedding, funeral, birthday, or anniversary, artificial flowers are an amazing option to consider.
At Wholesale Flowers and Supplies, you’ll find a huge array of stunning silk and artificial pieces to use in your floral arrangements, boutonnieres, bouquets, and corsages. Call us today to learn more about how we can help make your wedding an event to cherish.