How to Choose a Border and Hem Color for Your Custom Silk Scarf
Quick answer: A silk scarf border and hem color are two separate choices. The border is a printed frame inside your design: a contrasting border makes the artwork stand out, a tonal border blends quietly. The hem color is the color of the scarf's finished edge, chosen in the Custom Studio by hex code or Pantone TCX. A hem color that matches the border disappears; a contrasting one adds a fine outline.
Most people decide the border and hem color in the last five minutes, when everything else has been agreed and these feel like small details. They are not small. The border is the frame. The hem is the line around the frame. Both shape how the finished piece reads in the hand, on display and on the body.
For the hem finishes themselves, read our guide to hand-rolled vs machine hems. For wider design advice, read our guide to designing for silk.
What is a printed border, and what does it do?
A border is a band of color, pattern or motif that runs around the inside edge of the scarf. It is part of your artwork file, not part of the finishing. Not every scarf needs one. But a border does real work: it stops the edge of the composition feeling unresolved, and it gives the eye a place to rest between the artwork and whatever is behind it.
A border also solves a common problem. Most paintings are not square, and every scarf in the Custom Studio is. A border lets you place a rectangular artwork inside a square without cropping into it.
Contrasting border or tonal border?
A contrasting border, in a color clearly distinct from the main design, makes a deliberate statement. It draws the eye around the edge and gives the whole composition authority. It is the look of the classic printed silk square.
A tonal border, in a color taken from within the design, recedes. Where the artwork already has strong structure, a tonal border supports it without competing.
A useful test: cover the border in your mock-up and look at the center alone. Then reveal the border. Does the composition gain authority, or does it feel hemmed in?
How wide should a border be?
| Scarf | Typical border width |
|---|---|
| 35 in (89 cm) large square | 2.5 to 1.4 in (3.5 cm) |
| 25.6 in (65 cm) classic square | 1.5 to 1 in (2.5 cm) |
| 20.9 in (53 cm) small square | 1 to 0.8 in (2 cm) |
| 12.2 in (31 cm) pocket square | 0.5 to 0.4 in (1 cm) |
Too narrow and a border looks hesitant. Too wide and it crowds the design.
What is the hem color?
The hem color is a separate decision from the border. For a hand-rolled hem, about 0.6 in (1.5 cm) of your chosen color is added around the artwork, and that strip is rolled to form the edge of the scarf. The Custom Studio suggests a color taken from your artwork, and you can change it by entering a hex code or a Pantone TCX reference.
- A matching hem color, the same as the border or the background, disappears into the edge for an understated finish.
- A contrasting hem color adds a fine outline around the whole scarf.
Be precise. “Dark navy” is not enough for a color that runs the full edge. Read our color accuracy guide for help with Pantone TCX.
How do the border and hem color work together?
They sit side by side, so choose them together. A contrasting border with a hem in a third color can make the edge busy. The most coherent scarves decide one thing first, whether the edge should frame the design actively or support it quietly, and then pick both colors to serve that.
Remember the hem takes silk. With a hand-rolled hem, plan your border knowing that about 0.6 in (1.5 cm) on each side forms the roll. Our school commission case study shows a border adjusted for exactly this.
Ready to start? Choose your size, silk, finish and hem color and see your price right away. Choose your finish and hem color in the Custom Studio →
Want a second opinion on a border? Email your design to support@lovesilk.com.
Frequently asked questions
Does a silk scarf design need a border?
No. Many designs run edge to edge. A border helps most when the design needs containing or when a non-square artwork has to fit a square scarf.
What is the difference between a contrasting and a tonal border?
A contrasting border is clearly distinct in color from the main design and frames it deliberately. A tonal border uses a color from within the design and recedes.
How wide should a border be on a custom silk scarf?
About 2.5 to 1.4 in (3.5 cm) on a 35 in (89 cm) scarf and 1.5 to 1 in (2.5 cm) on a 25.6 in (65 cm) scarf.
What hem color should I choose?
Match the border or background for an understated edge, or choose a contrast for a fine outline. Give the color as a hex code or Pantone TCX reference.
Should the hem color match the border?
Not necessarily, but decide the two together so the edge of the scarf does not become busy.
Related reading: The complete guide to ordering custom silk scarves in the United States · Designing for silk · Hand-rolled vs machine hem · How to prepare your artwork file