Shell buttons

[ohyourgod]

I bought a cute cotton cardigan from a thrift store and noticed when I got home that the buttons have a pearlescent finish on them. They look like they might be made from shells. Is there such thing as a synthetic shell button? How can I tell if these are real or fake? Google isn't being particularly helpful.

Here is a link to a picture of real

Comments

[wannabealtruist]

There *is* such a thing as fake shell, but it would generally be made from plastic and probably "feel" kinda plastic-ey. It's usually fairly easy to tell a fake just by looking at it.

[ohyourgod]

It does feel plastic-ey. I think they might be plastic. Yay!

[15countsofarson]

Abalone?

[supercarrot]

if you look on the back of the shell button, it'll usually have a dark ugly bumpy surface (the outside of the shell) they're also more brittle than plastic.

[ohyourgod]

These definitely feel like plastic. I thought they might be shell coated in some sort of plastic. Now I'm thinking they're just plastic. Yay!

[emraldfire]

yeah it would probably make more sense that they are plastic, because a real shell would likeley get very damaged by a wash cycle.

unless this was a dry clean or hand wash only item.

[death_by_soy]

CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(l) -------> CaCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(g),
but that would most definitely ruin your buttons.

You could call and ask the manufacturer. And sometimes you can tell from the price of the item. Fancy department stores would be more likely to use the real thing.

But if I was losing sleep over a mollusk, I would probably just return it.

[death_by_soy]

but that isn't to demean cephalopods- they rule

[ohyourgod]

Hehe. I don't have HCl just sitting around, but I did and I wasn't so fond of this sweater, I might try it.

I got it at the thrift store for $4, but it's from Lands' End, where cotton sweaters run about $60. I'm thinking they're plastic just from other people's descriptions.

I wouldn't say I'm losing sleep over it. I just want to know. I wouldn't return it anyway, since the thrift store supports a no-kill animal shelter. I was considering re-donating it though if it was shell.

[ohyourgod]

but IF I did...

oops!