Sleep Accessories · Type
Silk Pillowcases
A silk pillowcase is a pillow cover whose stated fiber is mulberry silk, sold by a weight called momme rather than by thread count. Check three things: the fiber line says silk, a momme number is stated, and the back is silk too. Then pick the size and the closure. I'm Rosa. I've read more silk labels this year than radio scripts, and the labels were more honest.
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What’s in this listPillowcases whose stated fiber is mulberry silk. Satin (polyester) cases have their own page; momme and grade show as the listing states them. “—” means neither the maker nor the Amazon listing states it.
What a silk pillowcase is
A silk pillowcase is a cover for your pillow made of silk, a natural protein fiber spun by silkworms. Almost all of them use mulberry silk, which comes from silkworms that feed on mulberry leaves. Researchers who study silk note that the worms obtain their nutrients from those leaves, which is where the name comes from.
What people want from one is simple. Silk is smooth and light. Your cheek and hair slide on it instead of catching. That's the honest pitch, and it's enough.
This page keeps only pillowcases whose stated fiber is mulberry silk. Satin cases, which are usually polyester, have their own page at satin pillowcases. Momme and grade show as the listing states them.
Silk vs satin pillowcases
This is the question behind most of the searches, so here's the whole answer.
Silk is a fiber. Satin is a weave. Satin is a way of weaving that gives fabric a glossy face. It can be woven from silk, but satin pillowcases are usually polyester. A shiny photo can be either one.
The label tells you which. The FTC requires US textile labels to list fiber content by generic fiber name and percentage by weight. "Silk" is a fiber name, so a silk case says silk on that line. "Satin" isn't a fiber, so a satin case still has to name its fiber, usually polyester. Titles don't follow that rule as strictly. "Silky", "silk-like" and "vegan silk" describe a feel.
How they differ in practice:
- Feel. Both are smooth. Silk is a natural fiber and tends to feel lighter; polyester satin is slicker.
- Care. Silk usually asks for cool water, a gentle cycle or hand washing, and air drying. Polyester satin usually tolerates a regular wash.
- How it's measured. Silk by momme. Satin by thread count, when a seller gives one.
- Claims. Both get the same hair and skin wording in listings. It's the maker's wording either way.
Neither is better at being a pillowcase. Choose silk for the fiber, satin for easy care. The satin pillowcase and hair guide goes into the hair question without promises.
How to read the silk pillowcase table
Every field shows only when the maker or the Amazon listing states it. A dash means nobody put it in writing.
Fabric: mulberry silk as stated
The fabric field is the gatekeeper. A case is on this page only when the stated fiber is mulberry silk. A listing that calls itself silk in the title but gives satin or polyester as the fabric isn't silk, and isn't here.
Silk weight (momme)
Momme is a weight measure for silk. A higher number means denser, heavier fabric. It's the number to compare between two silk cases, and the one most silk listings lead with.
There's no official momme a pillowcase must reach, and makers choose different weights. If a listing gives no momme, the field is blank. We never fill in a typical number.
Why thread count isn't in this table
Some silk listings show a thread count. Silk isn't sold by thread count; momme is the silk measure. So we leave thread count out of the silk table and show it only for satin, bamboo and copper cases, where sellers use it.
Silk grade
Grades like 6A are the maker's description of fiber quality. They aren't a standard certification with a public test. When only the Amazon listing states a grade, we show it "as listed".
Silk on both sides
Some silk pillowcases have a silk front and a cotton or polyester back. That keeps the cost down, and it's fine if you never flip your pillow. This field is yes only when the maker states the case is silk on both sides.
My one opinion on this page: check the back before you check the momme. The reason is right there in the table. A high momme number on one side and polyester on the other is a satin case with a silk face, and the "silk on both sides" field is the only place you'll find that out.
Closure
- Zipper. Keeps the pillow in. A plain zipper can press on your cheek if you sleep at the open end.
- Hidden zipper. A zipper tucked under a fabric flap.
- Envelope. An overlapping flap, no hardware. Easy to wash, and the pillow can slip out if the flap is short.
Size and dimensions
Size is the name the listing uses: standard, queen, king, or a combined standard/queen. Dimensions in inches show only when the maker states them, because Amazon's dimension row often gives the package. A king pillow needs a king case. A standard case on a king pillow is a tight fit and a short night.
Care, OEKO-TEX, pack count and claims
- Care. Hand wash, gentle machine wash in a laundry bag, or dry clean, as stated.
- OEKO-TEX. Shown only when the maker states it. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 means the textile was tested for harmful substances. Certificate numbers can be checked on the OEKO-TEX Label Check; when no number is given, we show the claim as the maker words it.
- Pieces in pack. One case or a pair. A pair isn't always clear from the title.
- Hair and skin claims. The maker's words, shown as the maker's. We don't repeat them as fact.
Silk pillowcase sizes: standard, queen and king
Buy the case for the pillow, not for the bed. Many queen beds have standard pillows, and many king beds have king pillows.
- Standard. The common size for most bed pillows.
- Queen. A little longer than standard. Some listings sell one case for both.
- King. For king pillows. Searches for a silk pillowcase king are common for a reason: a king pillow in a smaller case leaves the ends bare.
If you don't know your pillow's size, measure it flat, end to end and side to side, before you shop. The bedding size guide covers the bed side of the question.
Silk pillowcase sets and gift sets
Silk pillowcases are a common gift in December and January, and many are sold as sets.
- Pair of pillowcases. Check the pieces-in-pack field; "set" can mean one or two.
- Silk pillowcase and eye mask set. A pillowcase with a matching silk sleep mask. Check that both pieces are stated as silk.
- Silk sleep set. Sometimes a pillowcase, mask and scrunchie; sometimes it means sleepwear, which isn't on this site.
- Gift set. Often the same case in a box. The box is the gift part.
Read a set like a packing list: what's in it, which pieces are silk, which momme applies to which piece, and whether the care tags match. The sleep gifts page has more ideas.
Care: the part that decides whether you'll like it
Read the care tag before the price tag. That's Margo's rule, and on silk it's not a joke. She ran hotel housekeeping for 22 years and says the hotel never stocked silk pillowcases, because silk and a commercial laundry would not have gotten along.
At home, most silk care tags ask for some version of this:
- Cool water and a mild detergent, by hand or on a gentle cycle in a mesh bag.
- No bleach and no fabric softener, if the tag says so.
- No wringing. Roll it in a towel to press out water.
- Air dry away from direct sun and heat.
- Iron on low, if at all, and only if the tag allows it.
Wash it on its own or with other delicates, not with towels or anything with a zipper that can snag it. The silk pillowcase washing guide walks through it step by step.
Two cases make life easier: one on the pillow, one drying.
Colors, protectors and the rest of the pillow
A few small things that the table doesn't cover but your pillow will notice.
- Dark colors. Dyed silk can release some color in the first washes. Wash a new dark case on its own, as the care tag allows, and keep it away from light-colored delicates.
- Sunlight. Dry silk out of direct sun. Most care tags say so, and it's easy to follow.
- Pillow protector. A thin zip protector under the silk case keeps the pillow clean, so the silk can be washed gently instead of often. Margo puts one on every pillow in the archive, and the labels say so.
- Pillow size. An overstuffed pillow strains a zipper. If the case is tight, size up.
Silk pillowcases for hair and skin
Many silk pillowcase listings talk about hair and skin. Some mention frizz, some mention creases, some mention breakage. We show that wording as the maker's, in quotes, in the claims field. We don't repeat it as a promise, and a pillowcase isn't a treatment for anything.
What we can say is the plain part: silk is smooth, so hair and skin slide on it rather than catching. If hair is your main reason for shopping, the silk pillowcases for hair page keeps cases whose makers talk about hair, and the silk bonnet page covers the other way to keep hair on silk overnight.
Who should skip a silk pillowcase
A silk pillowcase is a nice thing, not a necessary one.
- You won't follow a delicate care tag. A satin pillowcase or a good cotton one from the pillowcases page is easier.
- You don't use animal fibers. Silk comes from silkworms. Satin, cotton or bamboo pillowcases are the alternatives.
- You sleep hot and dislike slippery fabric. Some people simply prefer the feel of cotton percale. That's allowed.
- Your pillow slides off the bed already. A slick case won't help. (Biscuit has knocked my pillow onto the floor twice this month, and he didn't need silk to do it.)
Related pages
- Sleep accessories, the section page
- Satin pillowcases, copper pillowcases and bamboo pillowcases
- Silk pillowcases for hair and silk bonnets
- How to wash a silk pillowcase
- Best silk pillowcases, ranked by a written rule
Brands in this list
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Questions people ask
What is momme in a silk pillowcase?
Momme is a weight measure for silk fabric. A higher number means denser, heavier silk. It's how silk is described instead of thread count, which is why our silk table shows momme and not thread count. There's no official minimum for a pillowcase. The table shows momme only as the maker or listing states it.
Is a 25 momme silk pillowcase better than 22 momme?
A 25 momme case is made of denser, heavier silk than a 22 momme one, as stated by its maker. Whether that's better for you depends on how it feels and how you'll wash it. Compare both numbers only when each maker states one, and check that both sides are silk, because a heavier front with a polyester back is a different product.
What are the benefits of a silk pillowcase?
The plain ones: silk is smooth, light, and slides under your cheek and hair instead of dragging the way some cotton does. Makers often add claims about frizz, creases or skin. Those are the maker's words, and we show them in quotes as the maker's. A silk pillowcase isn't a hair or skin treatment.
Is a silk pillowcase worth it?
It's worth it if you like the feel of silk and will follow a gentle care tag. It's not worth it if you want to toss it in a hot wash with the towels. Satin pillowcases give a similar smooth surface, usually with easier care. The fiber you want and the washing you'll do decide it.
Should I get a silk pillowcase with a zipper?
A zipper closure keeps the pillow from sliding out at night, and a hidden zipper sits under a flap so it doesn't touch your face. An envelope closure has no hardware at all, just an overlapping flap, and it's easier to wash. The closure field in our table shows which one the maker states.
What size silk pillowcase do I need?
Match the case to your pillow, not your bed. Listings name sizes like standard, queen and king, and some sell a combined standard/queen case. A king pillow needs a king case. Dimensions in inches show only when the maker states them, because the listing's dimension row is often the package.
Sources
- The differences in cocoon and silk qualities among sex-related mulberry and silkworm feeding groups — PLOS ONE (PMC, NIH) — accessed 2026-10-27
- Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool Acts — Federal Trade Commission — accessed 2026-10-27
- OEKO-TEX — OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 — accessed 2026-10-27