Table mats are protective pads made of paper, cloth or plastic. They are used to protect the table from water marks, food stains, scratches and burns. Some table mats are used only for decoration purposes such as lace or silk table mats.
Types of Silk Table Mats:
Silk table mats are luxurious and have a rich sheen which makes them look very nice. Silk table mats look very elegant and are easy to handle. One of the most beautiful and expensive place mats are those made in Varanasi in India. Varanasi place mats are made of brocade silk. Often the weft and warp threads are of different colors. Varanasi silk place mats use a lot of metal thread work on the borders. The mats are woven by weavers. Each mat woven by those weavers is unique. Varanasi silk table mats are available in different colors. Buyers also have a choice of gold or silver thread work. Silk table mats are made in other places also. These place mats have an entirely different look from the Varanasi silk mats. Chinese silk table mats have heavy silk thread embroidery on them. The motifs used are derived from ancient Chinese symbols or traditional Chinese life. The embroidery is intricate and elaborate. Even the borders of the mat are embroidered.
Care of Silk Table Mats:
Silk table mats should be hand washed. Using harsh detergents should be avoided as they can cause the fabric to fray. The mats should be washed in warm water. It is best not to wash silk table mats in a washing machine. The agitation can cause the fabric to wear out quickly. They should be dried in the shade since direct sunlight causes the silk fiber to turn yellow.
Silk table mats are available in a variety of colors and price ranges to suit every pocket and taste.
