In magic, a "silk" refers to a handkerchief, usually made of 100% silk.
Silk is used as the fabric because it can be compressed into a surprisingly small size, thus making it easier to hide it in a small box, thumbtip, etc.
Silk also holds color well, so the fabric can be dyed in very vibrant
colors.
Magicians refer to the different silks as 6", 9", 12", 18" and 36" silks.
However, the inch size in the title is a REFERENCE.
The measurement is APPROXIMATE, not exact.
The best silks today are made in China- of high quality Chinese silk.
The Chinese manufacturers do not measure in inches, so what is supplied to us as a 6" Silk may not be exactly 6 inches.
The number in the title shows the
relative size of the silk- about how big it is in relation to other silks.
Rarely does a magician require a silk to be an exact measurement.
If you do need an EXACT size, you would have to find someone to custom make it for you.
Instead, the 6", 9", 12", 18" and 36" in the title helps magicians to specify x-small, small, medium, large and extra large silk sizes.
