One of the primary objectives of Silk Mark is to protect the interests of consumers. In order to ensure high security, a fusion label embedded with nano particles, has been introduced. This form of labelling method makes the label printed on the product and unlike the paper hang tags cannot be removed and affixed on another product.
Silk Mark Organisation Of India (SMOI) is an initiative of Central Silk Board (CSB), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
SMOI has Competent Textile Technologists, who are well experienced in Silk Industry and Trade. SMOI Corporate Office is headquartered in Bangalore and has thirteen Silk Mark Offices across the country.
The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is hailed as a major milestone in the history of consumer movement in India. The Act provides an informal, inexpensive and expeditious justice to the consumer aggrieved by defects in goods or deficiency in services.
The Act Seeks to promote and protect the rights of consumers and the gist is given below:
Right to be protected against marketing of goods which are hazardous to life and property.
The rights to be informed about the quantity, quality, potency, purity, standard and price of goods to protect the consumers against unfair trade practices.
Right to be assured, wherever possible, access to an authority of goods at competitive prices.
Right to be heard and to be assured that consumers interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums.
Right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers.
Silk Mark is a quality assurance label which signifies that a product which it is affixed to contains 100% pure silk in its base fabric. Silk Mark is a Trademark, registered under Trade Mark Registration Authority, to be used by Authorised users only. A detailed and stringent Quality Assurance system covering the following facets are evolved and implemented for maintaining the credibility of Silk Mark.
Always wash your silks in soft water. Add a pinch of Borax or Ammonia, if water is hard.
Use Good neutral soap either in the form of flakes or solution. Light detergents may also be used in case of hard water.
To remove the soap and soiled spots rinse 2-3 times in warm water.
Avoid Harsh Scrubbing.
Silk with doubtful color fastness may be immersed in cold water with small amount of citric acid or actic acid for 2 minutes before washing. Squeeze lightly by hand to remove water.
Dry cleaning of silk items is suggested due to the yarn structure, poor to moderate washing fastness of the dyes and other fabric constructional details.
It is also important to avoid rigorous agitation/mechanical handling of silk under wet condition due to weakening of the fibers.
Washing with mild detergent solution with gentle agitation is welcome.
Mulberry silk item should be pressed after wash under damp condition with a press cloth.
Wild varieties should be dry cleaned and ironed dry to retain the sericin.
Silk textiles may water spot easily so care should be taken to avoid this problem. Before washing make sure that the product does have a dye which would not water spot.
Silk is sensitive to strong soap, alkalies and high temperature and gets damaged. Please avoid these washing conditions.
Chlorine bleaches should be totally avoided. But Hydrogen peroxide and sodium perborate are safe to use under careful treatment conditions.
Silk has the shrinking features with strong alkali and acids.
Furnishing fabrics of silk should be protected against exposure to direct sunlight.
Silk may be attacked by insects especially carpet beetles. Care should be taken to see when storing that they are clean because soil may attract insects that do not normally attack the silk.
Weighted Silk deteriorates even under good storage conditions and are especially likely to break at folds.
Silk items should not be stored without wash after use.