Silk sheets are the ultimate in luxury and provide a great night’s sleep. The smoothness and comfort of silk can be beneficial for your hair, skin, health, and sleep quality.
However, buyers beware when buying real silk sheets! It can be confusing to shop at a large online retailer. There are so many choices that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. It is possible, for instance, for two silk sheet sets to cost the same, but be of vastly different quality. It’s a similar story with sheet sets. They may seem identical, but one is $100’s of dollars more expensive than the other.
Why are there such discrepancies? Let’s take a look.
The fact is this: many variables go into making silk sheets. Most important among these are the weight and quality of the silk. Being able to read and parse out a product description is an essential skill when you’re shopping for silk bedding. You need to understand what a manufacturer says — and does NOT say — about their silk sheets to get the best value.
The silk experts at ElleSilk are here to help. We’ve assembled a checklist of ten things to think about when shopping for silk sheets. We’ll teach you what to look for and how to read a product listing like a pro. Armed with this new knowledge, you’ll be able to shop smarter and get the best quality and value silk sheets for your money.
1. Make Sure You’re Buying Real Silk Sheets
A good rule of thumb is to check the price; if it’s too good to be true (think, $100 or less for a set of sheets) the material is not pure, high-quality silk fabric, it is another material like bamboo or satin. Silk is an all-natural fiber and will be more expensive than man-made fabrics like satin and polyester (which is derived from petroleum). Don’t settle for anything less than 100 percent natural silk sheets. All 100% silk sheets will be prominently labeled as such. If it’s not labeled, it’s not pure silk.
2. Ensure Your Silk Sheets are the Top Quality
We recommend buying sheets made of pure mulberry silk of the highest grade. Mulberry silk threads are smoother, stronger, and more uniformly colored than any other variety of silk fiber. Silk quality is also graded A, B, or C, with Grade A being the best. Grade A silk is the highest quality long-strand silk from cocoons that are pearly white in color. It is very pure and can be unraveled to great lengths without breaking. Silk grades are also further differentiated by number; Grade A silk comes in A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A, with 6A being the highest and finest quality silk. For any given type of silk, Grade 6A is the finest quality available in the marketplace. This means that the best silk bed sheets made from Grade 6A silk will cost more because of the better-quality silk used than those made from Grade 5A silk.
At ElleSilk we only use Grade 6A 100 percent pure mulberry silk for our silk sheets, silk pillow cases, and silk accessories (including silk scrunchies and sleep masks). If your silk sheet product description doesn’t have silk quality by letter and number, you should assume those sheets are made with lower-quality silk.
3. Silk Weight Preference for your Sheets
Silk weight is measured in units known as momme, sometimes abbreviated as mm. The higher the momme weight, the heavier and denser the silk weave will be. Higher momme weight silk is also made with thicker yarn. During the process of silk production, the silk factory will adjust the density and yarn count of the silk thread to control the weight — or momme — of the fabric. In this way, momme is similar to thread count, which is typically used to measure the weave of cotton sheets.
Silk under 20 momme is considered lightweight; twenty momme to 28 momme is a mid-weight silk; and anything above 28 momme is heavyweight. When considering a specific weave or type of silk, higher momme is generally better quality, as there is more silk thread in the material. Most silk sheets are made from 19, 22, 25 or 30 momme weight silk. Silk that is lighter than 19 momme or heavier than 30 momme silk is really not suitable for sheets.
ElleSilk signature sheets are made in 22 momme and 25 momme weight silk. We also offer pillow cases in a lighter weight 19 momme and a heavy and ultra-luxurious 30 momme, both of which can be purchased separately. Check the momme silk weight of any silk sheets you’re considering; heavier weight will cost more. If the product listing does not display the momme weight, do not buy the sheets.
4. Buy Only Silk That Has Been Tested OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
Look for a silk bedding set that is tested and certified by an independent agency or organization to be free from harmful chemicals. All ElleSilk’s silk sheets, silk pillowcases, and accessories are OEKO-TEX® Standard 100* certified; this means they’ve been independently tested and guaranteed to be free of all harmful substances, including toxins and irritants. If you don’t see OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 clearly labeled, the product is not certified to be safe of harmful substances.
*OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a global testing and accreditation program that successfully sets the standards for the screening of harmful substances in consumer textiles.
5. Design Details Matter When Buying the Best Silk Sheets
Small but essential details mean a lot to the look and feel of your silk sheet set. Most sheet sets come with at least one pillowcase. Try to find out how that pillow case closes. A hidden zipper, for example, is out of sight, but some people find it uncomfortable to sleep on; zippers also have the potential to catch, snag, and break. It comes down to personal preference. We recommend silk pillowcases with fabric closures, such as the signature “envelope closure” used on all ElleSilk’s silk pillowcases.
When it comes to sheets, a seamless style offers maximum comfort and durability. At ElleSilk, our sheets are crafted from the widest fabric bolt available (110 inches) which allows all of our flat and pure silk fitted sheets to be seamless (with the exception of our deep-pocket King 16-inch fitted style due to additional fabric requirements). The fitted sheets are also fully elasticized for a secure fit and labeled for proper placement. Our flat sheets feature a generous wide finish at the top and an unobtrusive tag at the bottom hem.
Pay attention to pillowcase hems and closures. With sheets, look for seamless construction and secure elastic on the fitted sheet, and an ample finish at the top of the flat sheet.
6. Shipping, Returns, and Customer Service
Price out the shipping policies before you decide to buy; a seemingly well-priced set of sheets with a hefty hidden shipping charge can quickly break your budget. At ElleSilk, we offer FREE shipping worldwide. A reputable company will also stand behind their product with specific quality guarantees and a clearly articulated return policy that protects the consumer from defects and inferior workmanship. At ElleSilk, we want our clients to be fully satisfied. Our return policies are clearly spelled out, and our customer service team is available to help resolve issues and answer questions. The costs of shipping and the availability of reliable customer service should weigh heavily into your decision to purchase a specific brand of sheets.
As a premier online retailer of silk sheets, silk pillowcases, and real silk accessories, ElleSilk offers a variety of silk bedding sizes and colors at fair and affordable prices. Learn to read silk product listings Our design consultants are available to provide suggestions, answer questions, and give recommendations as needed.