The Ultimate Silk Care Guide

Momme is the standard unit that is used to measure silk weight and quality. Similar to thread count, the higher the momme, the denser and more durable the silk weave will be to withstand all those laundry washes and night rests. For most silks, the standard momme is between 12 and 19. Those silks with a momme weight of 16 to 19 are considered high quality. However, 22 momme count silk bed sheets are absolutely the best quality. So the higher the momme count, the more tightly woven the silk sheets will be.

Silk naturally regulates heat, which helps you maintain the correct body temperature. Silk doesn’t conduct heat, so if you want to keep cool at night on hot days, go with silk. On the flip side, it retains heat during cold weather.

Satin is a weave made from polyester or nylon, which is man-made fabric and is chemical based. Nylon and polyester satin fabrics are derived from petroleum, or oil. A satin pillowcase or a satin sheet set is of synthetic fiber; therefore, is not sustainable or particularly environmentally friendly to produce.

Silk on the other hand, is a natural fiber. Real silk is biodegradable and not made with any dangerous chemicals or fossil fuels. Genuine silk breathes and helps to regulate the temperature of the body. It naturally helps to keep you warm during the winter and cools the body temperature during the summer. This reduces the level of discomfort while sleeping. As a petroleum based manmade fiber, satin lacks the natural breathability, absorbency, and comfort of silk.

A poly-satin is considerably cheaper than silk. Although the closest alternative to real silk, poly satin products are not as smooth as silk. Poly-satin is not as tightly woven as genuine silk, therefor, it is not as protective against allergens and dust mites as silk.

Other differences between silk and synthetic fiber like poly-satin lie in moisture and odor control. When a person’s head touches a traditional pillowcase during sleep, oils from their hair and skin are transferred to that fabric. Over time, these oily stains will become more difficult to remove and can actually leave an odor on the pillow case or even in their hair.

In addition, Mulberry silk has natural antibacterial properties that fight odor-causing bacteria that may cause body odors as well as discoloration in fabric! Over time, untreated satin/polyester can yellow/discolor as a result of these bacterial issues… but not mulberry silk!

All our products are of pure 100% Mulberry silk that has been safely manufactured through all levels of production. All of our products are Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified. This means that they have been lab-tested and guaranteed to be free of all harmful substances, including toxins and irritants. Some of our silk products – those labeled 100% organic have also an organic certification.

Burning real silk smells like burning human hair, and will self-extinguish quickly after taking away flame source. The ash from burning silk is black, crispy and turns to powder easily when crushed – like paper.

Poly-satin tends to combust rapidly in intense flame and smells similar to burning plastic. The ash of fake silk tends to be sticky, twisted, and difficult to break apart similar to a burnt plastic bottle.