The reply from the eBay seller.
Dear Kimiko
I assure you it was silk. The burning method only makes sense when you burn bleched, untreated silks - onlu they will burn "cleanly". When silk is made into the fabric, esepcially, upholstery upgade fabric, which is this damask is, with the additions of sealing agents AND some lurex, you cannot possibly expect it to burn with no ash.
I stand by my fabrics, is I say it is silk, it is silk. ALl my fabrics come with tags staing content and all the treatments that have been applyed it it, so I know exactly what I sell.
The "simple" burn method should only be use for "simply" silk strands, not to fancy home dec fabrcs - even then you cannot be assured the results you get are correct. Trust me, I have a textile degree and expirience working in the industry, including textile manfacturing and desinging jobs, and textile professionals always refer to this simple burn test as an "old wives tale". So your test is absolutely wrong, and I trust the manufacturer who put the label on this fabric over your candle burning, needless to say, I will not accept this experiement as an indication of an inferior fabrics. I do not allow returns unless there is a flaw etc that was not described - clearly this is not the case. But I will agree to take this fabric back if you are so unhappy with it. I do not offer a discount for my high-end, brand-name expensive fabrics which is what you are asking for in a form of partial refund. I have no problem selling expensive damasks like this, I have many designers, textile collectors and even a Museum buying my fabrics, which they obviously wouldn't do if they did not feel the quality was the highest. Those folks, of course, don't determine the content by candle burning, they just know it, as do I, but I always list what the label says.
BTW, if there were acrylic mixed in with the silk, it'd feel sticky, not smooth like this one is.
So please send me your fabric for a refund of what you paid minus my costs associated with it.
S.V
I am not in a good mood, not a good mood at all, having little to do with this fabric, actually. So I am going to sleep on it, and see what I feel like doing tomorrow.