Just as all that glitters is not gold, all that?s smooth and lustrous is not silk. So how do you determine the quality by just looking at the fabric? Or how do you ensure that you get what you pay for when you buy pure silk? Well, finally, help is at hand. To protect consumer interest, the Central Silk Board sponsored last year the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) to administer the silk quality mark on 100 per cent natural silk. Called the 'silk mark' and represented by an artistic depiction of a moth, the high-security e-beam hologram is to pure silk what hallmark is to gold. The silk mark is an independent third party assurance that the silk you are buying is 100 per cent genuine and natural.

The silk mark covers primary, intermediary and finished products such as raw silk, silk yarn, silk fabric, saris, garments, made-ups and silk carpets. So far SMOI has 115 authorised users. Over 6.5 lakh items of silk have already got the quality seal, most of them being saris. If a consumer has any problem with a product carrying the silk mark, SMOI acts as a facilitator for redress of the complaint and gets the product tested. In case the product is not up to the mark, SMOI ensures that the authorised user of the mark pays the damages.

Vandana Kumar, chief executive, SMOI, says that so far, the response from the trade and industry has been quite good. In West Bengal, workshops held for the weavers have got encouraging results. As the success of the programme depends on consumer demand for the quality seal, SMOI plans to launch a major programme aimed at creating consumer awareness about the silk mark scheme. Internationally, this is the first attempt at putting a quality label on 100 per cent natural silk. Unlike wool and cotton, which have international quality marks, there is no international silk mark.

The SMOI also issues ?Vanya? quality label to non-mulberry or wild silk, which include eri, mogha and tusser. Ninety per cent of the silk (16,000 MT) that India produces is mulberry while the rest is non-mulberry or wild silk. The wild silk variety is especially popular as furnishing fabrics.

So, whether you are buying a wedding sari or silk dress material or even pure chiffon for summer, insist on buying only those that have the silk mark. You can also log on to www.silkmarkindia.com to check the names of dealers who sell silk-marked products. Remember, it is only consumer demand that will force more manufacturers and retailers to opt for the quality seal.