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Registered in England |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the silk come from?We buy most of our silk from China and a very small amount (the shot dupions) from India. We have been buying direct from China for about 10 years now and have a good relationship with a factory out there. It comes to us white and we do everything else to it. China is responsible for about 54% of the world's silk production. Are your silks 100% pure?Yes the majority of our fabrics are 100% pure silk. The ones that are not, for example velvet, silk/viscose satin and other mixed fabrics, then these are clearly marked. Do you produce the silk on site?Although we don't weave the silk (it comes to us white on rolls) we do carry out most of the printing and dying processes here at Beckford. That's why we can respond so quickly to your order. What's the minimum I can order?With most of our fabrics the minimum is 1 metre. If you want one of our less popular fabrics dyed in one of our stock colours then the minimum is 5m and if you are asking us to dye one of our fabrics in a special colour just for you, then the minimum is 10m. What if I don't want to order online? Is there someone I can speak to?We are more than happy to take your order over the telephone, or just answer your queries if you have any. Telephone us Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on 01386 881507 and ask for Victoria or Beth. We regret we are unable to take telephone orders on Saturday. Can I come and see the fabric before I buy?Yes, The Silk Store, Velvet Box and Accessories Shop are all open to the public Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. And if you come on a week day then, for a small charge, you can go upstairs and watch the silk being printed. Do you do swatches?Yes if you click on individual fabrics and colours that interest you, then there is a facility for adding a swatch (5" x 7", 13 x 18cm) to your shopping basket. You can also now purchase cards showing our full range of white fabrics, our heavy dupions, our range of velvet colours, as well as a colour card showing our complete range of 40 stock colours. How soon will I get my order?Once we receive your order and the payment has gone through, we will prepare and despatch your order, usually the same day. If we are dying a stock colour for you then we normally get this done within a couple of days and if we are matching and dying a special colour for you then allow about a week. How is my order sent?If you choose the UK standard carriage option your fabric will be folded and despatched in a postal bag by first class recorded post. Fabric orders over the value of £200 will be put on a roll and sent by overnight carrier (at no extra cost). I am ordering from abroad. How quickly will I get my order?We have an increasing number of customers in Europe and find that on average, packages take about 5 to 7 days to be delivered. For customers in America, Canada and Australia, then it can take up to two weeks. If you want your order to be sent using a carrier, then email us and we will get you a quote. Are your silks washable?Yes all our silks are hand washable and if they are dyed or printed, they have already gone through a wash as part of the process. Are your velvets washable?Yes, the velvet has already gone through a washing process. HOWEVER you will need to tumble dry it in order to raise the pile and restore the softness of the fabric. If in doubt, dry clean. Will the silk shrink and should I wash it before making up?If it is one of our dyed or printed silks then it has already gone through a washing process so you don't need to do it again. If you are using our natural white silk then it may be worth washing it before making up as you may get a very small amount of shrinkage. A fabric such as georgette will appear to shrink quite a bit after washing however it will easily pull back out with ironing. If you are at all concerned then just give us a call or drop us an email to double check. Can you dye a dress for me?No, sorry. The dying equipment we have only works for lengths of fabric and not made up garments. Why don't you dye silk duchess satin?Duchess satin is a particularly heavy weave of silk and so doesn't evenly take up the dye liquor in the dye bath. For coloured duchess satins the silk yarn is normally dyed before it is woven. Is there any danger of burning the silk with an iron?Only if you leave a hot iron resting on it for an extended period of time! What thread should I use to sew silk?We use ordinary Gütermann threads. We don't use pure silk thread as it tends to knot too easily and is very expensive. My question is not listed here!Please have a look at our How to Order section for more help, or contact us and we'll do our best to answer your query. Home | News | Printing for Museums, Galleries & Corporate Customers | Printing for Designers | Our Café | Booked Parties | History of Beckford Silk & Virtual Tour | Contact Us | FAQ's | Customer Comments | Picture Gallery | Videos | Links | ONLINE SHOP | How to Order | Your Basket | Your Account  
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