Materials used in production of Real Touch flowers
In production of Real Touch flowers, depending on kind of flowers, different materials are used. The main differing component is a material from which petals are made. It is necessary to notice the impossibility to translate all trivial (not chemical) names of materials that are in daily use of producers. Product engineers at different factories often name the same material differently, but in some other cases different materials are named the same.
Petals, depending on the flower being designed, are created from the following materials:
1. Synthetic fabric with liquid polymer on a surface. The silk has been used earlier as a fabric, but now it has been replaced by modern hypoallergenic synthetic fabrics. Petal’s surface is usually covered on one or on both sides with liquid polymer – latex (in a different way, producers name it liquid). This combination of materials allows to create naturalness of petal’s texture (due to chiseled cloth base) and reality of tactual sensation (due to soft and wet surface of polymer).
2. Silicone. Finer petal’s modeling is needed for some flowers (for example orchids). In this case one of the kinds of liquid polymers (silicone has more close texture than latex) is used without cloth base. Producers also name the material, which is used for production of such flowers, silica, mackintosh and synthetic rubber. Petal’s texture is created by means of molding under high temperature, and tactual sensations of surface are maximally close to fresh flowers because petal is entirely made of polymer.
3. Polyvinyl chloride. This material is known for its special strength and durability; it has replaced polyurethane, as flowers, made of polyurethane, are notable for its non-durability. Tulips, calla lilies and many other flowers are manufactured from solid silicone. A manufacturer declares the lifetime of this material to be up to 5 years.
4. Polyurethane. Polyurethane is the most suitable for modeling of petals' density of some flowers (gerbera daisies, peonies and others); it gives the softness of touch and reproduces texture of petal. This material reproduces to the maximum extent possible the sense of pressing on petals and their compression, but at the same time it is mostly affected by external negative effects (direct sunlight, excessive humidity).
5. 3D-printing. At present 3D-printing technology is more often used for the production of petals. At first a polymer sheet is run through 3D-printer in order to put a lifelike pattern on it, which designs all the smallest details and fibers of petals. And then petals are cut from this sheet and put on a stem. As cutting involves much waste of a polymer, this technology is considered to be expensive for a manufacturer and final market price of a product is relatively high. This technology is applied for manufacturing mainly orchids, but also today many other types of flowers are starting to be produced on this technology.
Outside part of flower stem is made of plastic, and sometimes covered with soft hairy spray coating (gerbera daisies, poppies, anemones, succulents and others). Inside part of flower stem represents flexible metal rod of different diameter, which makes it possible to deform the stem variously and then return it easily into its initial state. Some stems (for example, stems of tulips) are fully manufactured from silicone.
Leaves are usually made of fabric or thin plastic, but sometimes polyurethane is also used, for example in case of tulips and irises.
Pistils are usually manufactured from polyurethane or plastic.
It is necessary to note that manufacturers regularly improve the materials from which flowers are manufactured. For example, about 2 years ago polyvinyl chloride was developed and began to replace polyurethane models (tulips, calla lilies and others) actively. And also at present new types of materials have already appeared, and it is hardly possible to distinguish these materials from natural ones. We definitely will present them to you in the nearest future.
Today we are working on the classification of materials and cooperating with chemical laboratories of leading universities in the country in order that our clients could have a good understanding of all materials and also, what is important, know how to use Real Touch flowers and greenery in any cases.
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