SILK STORIES

Pale silk cocoons in a ceramic bowl beside a wooden spool of fine raw silk thread, showing the labor-intensive raw material behind finished silk

Why Is Silk So Expensive?

Silk is expensive because it's made almost entirely by hand, at the pace of a creature that can't be rushed. Labor alone is roughly half the cost.

Why Is Silk So Expensive?

Silk is expensive because it's made almost entirely by hand, at the pace of a creature that can't be rushed. Labor alone is roughly half the cost.

A close-up of ivory mulberry silk fabric held to the light, its color-shifting sheen and fine weave revealing it as real silk

How to Tell if Silk Is Real: A 60-Second Test

You can usually tell in under a minute: check the momme weight, the sheen, the warmth to touch, and the label wording.

How to Tell if Silk Is Real: A 60-Second Test

You can usually tell in under a minute: check the momme weight, the sheen, the warmth to touch, and the label wording.

A close-up of ivory silk charmeuse folded back on itself, showing its glossy lustrous front face and softer matte reverse

What Is Silk Charmeuse? (And How It Differs Fro...

Charmeuse is a weave, not a fiber — the source of a lot of label confusion, and the weave most fine silk pillowcases are made from.

What Is Silk Charmeuse? (And How It Differs Fro...

Charmeuse is a weave, not a fiber — the source of a lot of label confusion, and the weave most fine silk pillowcases are made from.

Skeins of pearly-white raw mulberry silk thread in soft natural light, their long even fibers and clean luster visible

What Is 6A Grade Silk?

6A is the highest grade of raw silk there is — measuring fiber quality before weaving, not to be confused with momme.

What Is 6A Grade Silk?

6A is the highest grade of raw silk there is — measuring fiber quality before weaving, not to be confused with momme.

Three folded silk fabrics side by side — smooth ivory mulberry silk, a textured golden wild silk, and a soft matte cream silk — showing the differences between silk types

Is Mulberry Silk Better Than Other Types of Silk?

For almost anything resting against skin or hair, yes — mulberry silk produces the longest, smoothest, most uniform fiber of any silk.

Is Mulberry Silk Better Than Other Types of Silk?

For almost anything resting against skin or hair, yes — mulberry silk produces the longest, smoothest, most uniform fiber of any silk.

Folded heavyweight ivory mulberry silk showing its dense, substantial weave and soft sheen in natural light

What Is Momme in Silk, and What Weight Is Best?

Momme measures how much silk is packed into the cloth. For a pillowcase, 22 momme is the considered sweet spot.

What Is Momme in Silk, and What Weight Is Best?

Momme measures how much silk is packed into the cloth. For a pillowcase, 22 momme is the considered sweet spot.