Everyone loves a nice silk scarf, but not everyone knows how to identify if a scarf is actually made of silk or not. This can be tricky since many other fabrics look and feel very similar to silk, but it’s important to know what you’re buying so you can get the real deal. Here are five ways to identify if your silk scarf is real or fake!

1) Touch it

As you explore your scarf and enjoy its texture, look for any signs of roughness that is usually a sign of a synthetic fiber. Silk is an extremely soft fiber, so it’s unlikely to be scratchy in any way. Synthetic fibers are not as smooth and have a tendency to feel like sandpaper if rubbed together. If you happen to come across silk in person, run your fingers over it at least five times — smooth fabric will flow beneath your touch with no snags or bumps in sight. Note: If you are shopping online, keep in mind that even high-resolution images may not be able to accurately depict how silk feels under different lighting conditions. For best results when shopping for silk scarves online, we recommend ordering samples first before making a purchase!

2) Check the label

The label should say silk in large letters, preferably in English. Reading foreign labels is difficult, so it’s a good idea to buy from brands that use clear and direct labeling. If you want to make sure you’re getting 100% silk, look for clothing that says 100% silk on its hang tag or packaging. However, even if a product claims to be 100% silk, it might not necessarily be pure silk—so read on for other ways to check before purchasing.

3) Look for loose fibers

Look at your scarf in direct light. Run your fingers over it and pull on it. Does anything come off in your hand? When silk is made, tiny fibers are pulled from cocoons, so if you see any loose fibers, it’s definitely not silk. It may be polyester or another synthetic material, but there’s a good chance it’s a lesser-quality natural fiber like cotton or wool—so look for other signs as well to confirm its authenticity.

4) Turn it inside out

The simplest way to tell whether a piece of clothing is silk is to flip it inside out. Silk is unique in that it’s a natural protein fiber, so if you see tiny little strands poking out of your scarf, you know it’s made from silk fibers. It’ll be shiny and look almost like a string of pearls; and while there are other fabrics with similar luster, such as rayon, cashmere or lambswool, they won’t be stringy. They’ll also feel thicker than silk.