Our Silk Explained
Not all silk pillowcases or products are created equally. There are a lot of silk “fakes” available on popular marketplaces such as Amazon or Ebay – often these are satin pillowcases, which are actually made of polyester, masquerading as silk – which does not give the same benefits as sleeping on a pure silk pillowcase.
Additionally, there are many companies producing one sided silk pillowcases (with cotton on the other side) in order to cut costs, and marketing the cotton as a “non slip” surface! Has a pillow you’ve slept on ever slipped out from underneath you?
There are many inferior quality silk products available which is why looking at the “Momme” rating and Grade of silk is so important
What is a Momme?
Momme is a form of weight measurement, and is used in judging the quality of silk.
Pronounced “Moe-Me”, it refers to is the measurement of thickness of a piece of silk, commonly abbreviated to MM. The higher the Momme count, the thicker and heavier and more densely woven the silk is. Momme expresses the weight (in pounds) of a piece of silk sized 45 inches by 100 yards.
Think of Momme as similar to the concept of thread count, when referring to cotton bedding. We know that the higher the thread count of a cotton sheet, the more luxurious and soft it is. With Silk, the higher the Momme count, the higher the quality of the Silk.
Silk that has 17 momme or lower is usually used for silk scarves or blouses. Silk of 30 or 40 momme is usually used for silk curtains or soft furnishing due to its thickness. All of Silk Lab’s pillowcases and Silk products are 100% pure 22 Mommewhich is the ultimate in softness, thickness and durability.
There are a lot of lower Momme Silk products available but they have less Silk content and are therefore not as soft or thick and do not have the same shine and lustre as our 22 Momme Silk products. This means they won’t deliver the same indulgent comfort and good night’s sleep as a Silk Lab pillowcase. With a 22 Momme Silk Lab pillowcase you can be assured of a good night’s sleep.
What is Silk Grading?
Silk is graded on an A, B, C scale with A being the finest and highest quality, and C the lowest. Grade A silk has the longest strands (up to 1 mile long!), contains almost no impurities and has a natural luminous healthy shine. It is lightweight, breathable and smooth to touch.
The number before the letter further grades the silk quality – with 1 or 2 being the lowest, and 6 being the highest quality. Silk Lab’s silk pillowcases are Grade 6AMulberry Silk which means they are the highest quality Mulberry Silk that you can buy. Less than 1-3% of silk production meets Grade 6A.
What is Mulberry Silk?
Mulberry Silk is a completely natural and healthy product, spun by silk worms fed on Mulberry leaves. The Silk that they spin into cocoons are then used to make silk products. This Mulberry Silk is the finest Silk that you can use for textiles.
Our products are 100% Mulberry Silk, which means they are entirely made from Mulberry Silk. Some manufacturers mix in inferior quality silks to make a cheaper product – we don’t do that.
The Silk Lab Difference
All of our products come expertly packaged in a beautiful branded gift box, perfect for surprising someone with the gift of a luxurious night’s sleep, or just as a bit of self-care for yourself!
Our products are 100% natural, hypoallergenic, sustainable and recyclable. At the end of its’ life, silk is biodegradable and can even be composted!
We are a 100% owned UK based business and quality and service are our priorities. We ship our products quickly and we send our Silk within the UK and all over the world!