Ever wonder what artificial flowers are made from and which materials make them look and feel the most realistic?
This guide explores the most commonly used materials to make artificial flowers, from plastic to premium fabrics like silk and polyester, while breaking down the different types of flowers and the pros and cons of each material.
With over 10 years of industry knowledge, Managing Director Alick Burnett gives his insight into which materials are used to make artificial flowers and why.
Polyethylene, or PE, is a multi-use, recyclable plastic used to create various everyday items.
It’s particularly popular in manufacturing as it’s super tough, chemical resistant, water resistant and flexible, so it’s an excellent choice for creating durable artificial plants and flowers.
Polyethylene comes in various forms, including high-density (HDPE) which is stronger and more rigid, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) which is more flexible. The latter of the two is often used to create artificial flowers, including the petals, leaves and stems. - Alick, managing director and artificial flower industry expert.
LDPE is usually used to create strong petals and leaves that hold their shape, and is often used in injection moulding. It’s similar to PEVA (which we’ll get on to shortly) as it’s ideal for making waxy flowers, like faux lilies. The difference is that it has a less shiny appearance and is more UV stable than PEVA.
The downside to polyethylene is that it’s fairly susceptible to UV degradation; that is, it can turn a funny shade of blue in the sun after long periods of time. Fortunately, it’s possible to apply UV stabilisers to the plastic, which vastly extends its lifespan and is something we add to our outdoor artificial trees.
And while polyethylene is recyclable, it generally isn’t biodegradable, which is why we encourage our customers to gift their faux plants and flowers to friends or donate them to charity when they’re no longer in need of them.
Pros - Strong, chemical resistant, water resistant, flexible and recyclable.
Cons - Susceptible to UV degradation and not biodegradable.
Polyethylene vinyl acetate is an alternative to PVC and is used to craft artificial flowers. It’s considered more environmentally friendly than PVC as it doesn’t contain chloride or phthalates, and releases fewer volatile organic compounds.
Despite that, it shares many of the same properties as PVC, including waterproofing and durability, making it ideal for creating strong artificial flowers that are suitable for outdoor use, like our faux outdoor hanging baskets.
There are several downsides to PEVA, however. One is that it isn't ideal for high-temperature moulding as it tends to soften around 60-80°C. It’s also sensitive to sunlight and has a slightly higher cost compared to other materials like polyethylene and PVC.
When used to make artificial flowers, PEVA is perfect for replicating flowers that naturally have a waxy feeling like anthuriums, orchids, tulips and lilies, where it can grant them a brilliantly lifelike look and feel. - Alick, managing director and artificial flower industry expert.
- Alick, managing director and artificial flower industry expert.
| Pros | Cons |
| No chloride or phthalates | Not suitable for high temperatures |
|
Releases fewer volatile organic compounds |
Sensitive to sunlight |
|
Water-proof |
Costs more than polyethylene and PVC |
| Strong | |
| Replicates a natural, waxy texture |
Polypropylene is commonly melted and injected into moulds to form petals, leaves, stems and other parts of artificial flowers.
It tends to hold its shape well and is strong but lightweight - everything you need to make beautiful flowers!
It’s usually hand-coloured with pigment or printed with floral vein patterns for a highly realistic look.
That said, it can sometimes deform with high heat and doesn’t feel quite as natural as PEVA.
Pros & cons of polypropylene
| Pros | Cons |
| Strong | Not suitable for high temperatures |
| Lightweight | Not as natural-looking as PEVA |
| Holds shape well |
There are two types of latex - natural and synthetic. Natural latex is harvested from certain plants like rubber trees and is biodegradable. Synthetic latex is man-made and more chemical-resistant than natural latex.
When making artificial flowers, latex is either poured or sprayed into moulds for petals and leaves. It can also be used by dipping leaves into the polypropylene to give them an authentic, waxy feeling - perfect for orchids and lilies.
Latex is more expensive than fabric or plastics, so it’s usually used for more luxurious faux flowers to give them that extra touch of realism. There’s also the downside that some people are allergic to latex.
- Alick, managing director and artificial flower industry expert.
Latex is more expensive than fabric or plastics, so it’s usually used for more luxurious faux flowers to give them that extra touch of realism. There’s also the downside that some people are allergic to latex
| Pros | Cons |
| Natural latex is biodegradable | More expensive than fabric or plastics |
| Man-made latex is chemical-resistant | Not suitable for those with a latex-allergy |
| Ideal for more luxurious flowers |
PU is a polymer used to create everything from cushions and furniture to artificial flowers. It’s favoured for its flexibility, strength and ability to closely replicate fine details; while being lighter than latex.
There are various ways that polyurethane can be used to make artificial flowers. The first is as a PU foam, which can create soft, squishy petals and flower heads, often used for roses and peonies.
Another is to use it as a coating over fabric petals or foam bases to enhance their durability and water resistance, while adding a smooth, glossy finish, which works perfectly for artificial monstera plants.
It may also be used as an adhesive or binder for attaching petals to stems and securing them in place.
| Pros | Cons |
| Flexible | Not biodegradable |
| Strong | Sensitive to sunlight |
| Lightweight |
Can degrade in high temperatures |
| Various uses in production | |
| Can replicate fine details |
| Polyethylene | PEVA | Polypropylene | Latex | Polyurethane | |
| Affordable | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ | ||
| Water-resistant | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Realistic | ✓ | ✓ | Not as much as PEVA | ✓ | ✓ |
| Strong | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sensitive to sunlight | ✓ |
|
✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chemical-resistant | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Flexible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recyclable | ✓ | ✓ |
|
||
| Biodegradable |
|
✓ | |||
| Luxurious | ✓ | ✓ |
Nowadays, it’s less common to use pure silk as it’s more prone to tears and fraying than other materials, plus it’s far more expensive, which makes the cost of the artificial flowers much higher for customers.
Polyester silk is a classic choice for creating soft, delicate petals that are durable and hold colour well, while being affordable for customers.
- Alick, managing director and artificial flower industry expert.
Polyester is typically used for dainty flowers like sunflower petals and peonies - anything with light, delicate petals.
It’s usually cut using heat stamping, die-cutting, or laser cutting and sealed with heat to prevent fraying before being properly shaped and assembled.
| Pros | Cons |
| Create soft, delicate petals | Prone to fraying |
| Allows for intricate detail | Expensive |
Flock is tiny little fibres which are added to the surface to create a soft, fuzzy texture. It’s usually made from polyester, cotton or another fabric material.
The idea of flock is to add extra realism to stems and leaves to perfectly mimic the natural flower.
- Amy, artificial flower florist
An example of this can be found on our faux poppy stem, which features flocked stems and leaves.
An adhesive is applied to the surface, then flock fibres are sprinkled on top. They’re sometimes added electrostatically, which uses static electricity to make the fibres stand upright.
Velvet is usually reserved for Christmas artificial flowers, like poinsettias, to give them a touch of glamour! It’s traditionally made from silk, but today it’s more commonly made from polyester or nylon blends.
The only downsides of using velvet to make artificial flowers are that it’s costlier than other fabrics, harder to clean and can’t be used outside as velvet will absorb moisture and deteriorate.
This might be a surprising one, but metal is used in artificial flower production to provide structural support and flexibility.
It doesn’t tend to be used for petals or leaves, instead, it’s used within the stems of our artificial flowers so that you can bend them into a more natural arch shape and adjust your flower arrangements.
The wire is strong, providing necessary support, however, depending on the type of metal, it can rust when exposed to water if uncoated.
Artificial flowers are usually coloured by hand using pigment for the dye material, which is similar to textile dyestuff. They can also be coloured with dyes.
The difference between the two is that dyes can absorb directly into the material, which works well for fabric and silk petals, whereas pigments are better for non-porous materials like plastics and latex.
Leaves, on the other hand, can be colour printed by machine, as seen in the video below.
We love flowers, both real and faux, but certain benefits come with going faux.
The biggest benefit of artificial flowers is the cost savings. While real flowers look nice for a week or two, they eventually meet their demise, get tossed in the bin, and then it’s up to you to pay for a new bunch.
With faux flowers, you might pay more upfront, but they’ll last you a lifetime.
- Sarah, artificial plant and flower expert
Then there’s the obvious benefit for those who suffer from hayfever. You no longer have to sacrifice owning beautiful flowers for the sake of a sniffly nose. By choosing a faux flower bunch, you can enjoy stunning blooms and stay allergy-free!
And even when your faux flowers are no longer in season, you can store them away and swap them for something more in keeping with the seasons, knowing full well that they’ll be just as gorgeous when you reintroduce them later.
If you have any further questions about artificial flower materials, get in touch with our team. Alternatively, check out our other blogs and articles
No, not all fake flowers are made from silk.
Pure silk was once a popular material for making faux flowers, but it’s expensive, which makes the flowers more pricey for customers, and it’s prone to tearing and fraying.
Nowadays, polyester silk is used instead as it’s more affordable for customers and far more durable, resulting in a better quality product overall.
There are also lots of materials used to make fake flowers. These include polyethylene plastic (PE), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), velvet, latex, metal, polyester silk and more.
The materials used will vary depending on the type of flower being made. For example, PEVA tends to be used to create waxy flowers, like anthuriums, tulips and lilies, whereas polyester silk is better suited to light, delicate petals.
The best material for artificial flowers depends on which type of flower you’re making. For flowers with soft, delicate petals, polyester fabric is usually best and allows for the most detail. If however, you’re making waxy leaves for orchids, polyethylene plastic is a versatile, affordable and strong option, which is often used for injection moulding.
Certain materials, like polyethylene, are recyclable, but artificial flowers tend to be made up of a variety of materials for the different parts of the flower.
For that reason, we recommend that you gift your artificial flowers to a friend or family member, or donate them to charity when you no longer need them.
Injection moulding is the process of adding molten plastic to a mould, which then forms the shape of the leaves, stem and various other parts of the plant.
UV stabilisers are added to certain outdoor artificial plants and trees in order to protect their colours from fading under harsh sunlight. This is usually designed to protect them for a minimum of one year, but it usually lasts far longer.
For more help, see our guide to UV resistance and why it matters.
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