We have identified three factors to consider when studying silk ribbons: 1. Technical, 2. Functional, and 3. Material. Each factor has its definitional weaknesses, but considering all three together can help mitigate ambiguities. The technical and material factors can be applied independently, while the functional relies on the other factors. 

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1. Technical
   Silk ribbons can be defined by a range of technical aspects relating to their production. One such definition is used by te Musée d'Art et d'Industrie in Saint-Étienne, France. They define silk ribbons as narrow textiles with a maximum width of 30 cm with intact selvedges, which often serve as the primary decoration of the ribbon. However, ribbons significantly wider than 30 cm can be found in the collection of the museum. We have categorized this group as "technical ribbons".

2. Functional
   In the collection of Museum Amager there are many examples of strips or bands of fabric cut from larger textile pieces used in place of silk ribbons. These are often decorated with passementerie and embroidery but are used similarly to technical ribbons. Thus, we refer to this group as "functional ribbon".

3. Material
   Silk ribbons are, of course, made of silk but the definition of silk is not as clear-cut as one might think. Artifical silks have been in use for about 150 years under names like "rayon" and "viscose". Additionally, many ribbons are made of mixed fibers (i.e., multiple types of fibers) or are adorned with silk embroidery. This raises the question: how much silk is needed for a ribbon to qualify as a silk ribbon? Based on this issue, we have chosen to focus on technical and functional ribbons in our definitions. When in doubt about the material, we have included the ribbons as a silk ribbon. 
   We have not been able to conduct invasive analyses on the material and our definitions are based on sensory analyses of the ribbons.