Nothing beats the luxurious feel of silk sheets on your skin. While they can be a bit on the expensive side, many people swear by silk and its beneficial health properties. It’s a gentle fabric that won’t irritate the skin, cause friction, or draw away that necessary moisture from your skin. Today, we are going to look at the top 7 silk sheets on the market today, and guide you through what to look for in silk sheets and how to care for them. Let’s start with our reviews.
7 Best Silk Sheets Reviews
1. Best Silk Sheets Overall: Orose Charmeuse Mulberry Silk Sheets
Why You’ll Like Them: Probably one of the most recognizable brands known for making sheets that promote healthy skin and hair
Orose uses 100% long strand mulberry silk for their sheets, with a momme rating of 19, equivalent to a 400 thread count sheet. The sheets are seamless and have a nice drape that won’t bunch up. They are very breathable and help to regulate body temperature, making them perfect for all seasons. This means they also work well for both hot and cold sleepers.
The sheets are also hypoallergenic and resistant to mold, bacteria, dust mites, oils, and dirt. They reabsorb moisture to keep your skin dry and cool.
In this set, you get 4 pieces; a 16-inch deep fitted sheet, a flat sheet, and two pillowcases. The fitted sheet has elasticated corners for a firm fit. They are easy to care for and can be washed by machine. They come in 11 patterns and colors.
Pros: hypoallergenic, easy maintenance, can re-absorb moisture, temperature-regulating, suitable for all seasons.
Cons: Expensive
No products found.
2. Best 19 mm Mulberry Silk Sheets: Zima Silk
Why You’ll Like Them: They have a high tensile strength, making them extremely durable and rip-proof.
19 momme is considered a perfect weight for silk sheets to give softness and breathability. Made from 100% mulberry silk, these sheets have the same sleek soft texture on both sides. They are comparable to 400 thread count sheets. They are highly breathable, keeping the skin cool, and hypoallergenic.
The set comes in 4 pieces: a fitted fully elasticated sheet, a flat sheet, and 2 pillowcases. The fitted sheet will fit snuggly and securely around the entire mattress. Mulberry silk is known for its strength, which means these sheets will be durable and long-lasting.
You can get them in 3 sizes: twin, queen, and king. They are machine washable and resistant to shrinking and won’t lose their shape. You can get them in 4 classic colors; white, black, taupe, and silver grey.
Pros: Highly durable, hypoallergenic, fully elasticated fitted sheet, comes in 3 sizes and 4 colors.
Cons: Like most high-quality silk sheets, these do cost a lot.
3. Best Affordable Silk Sheets: Lily Silk
Why You’ll Like Them: This 3-Piece Mulberry silk sheet set from LilySilk is not only affordable but of a high-quality too.
These 19 momme 100% mulberry silk set comes in 3 pieces; a fully elasticated fitted sheet, flat sheet, and a pillowcase. Hypoallergenic and free from chemicals, these sheets are dust mite, bacteria, and allergen resistant.
You have a lot of choices as well, with 5 sizing options and 12 gorgeous colors to choose from. Only natural dyes are used to color these sheets so they remain gentle on the skin. They are temperature-regulating and perfect for all seasons.
Pros: premium quality mulberry silk, variety of color options, good for all seasons, affordable
Cons: some felt they were more slippery than most silk sheets
4. Best for Variety of Colors: Thxsilk Silk Bed Sheets
Why You’ll Like Them: Because they come in a nice variety of rich colors and bring a nice balance between, price, quality, and comfort.
These sheets are made from 100% 19 momme mulberry silk that is breathable, soft, temperature-regulating. Whether you are a hot or cold sleeper, you will still find these sheets comfortable. Each set comes with a fully elasticated fitted sheet with 16-inch deep pockets, a flat sheet, and two pillowcases. You can buy them in four size choices and 13 colors.
The sheets are also Oeko-Tex certified, which ensures that no harmful chemicals were used in their production or in dying. The sheets are anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, dust mite, mold, and allergen repellent, making them safe for sensitive skin and those with allergies.
Pros: comes in a variety of colors, hypoallergenic, OEKO-Tex certified, perfect for all seasons and all skin types
Cons: gentle cleaning is required
View these silk sheets on Amazon
5. Best 22 mm Silk Sheets: Mulberry Park Silks
Why You’ll Like Them: These 22 momme silk sheets have a super-luxurious feel AND they’re are a bit thicker, making them great for cold sleepers.
These 22 momme 100% charmeuse Mulberry silk sheets come in several size options, including sets and individual sheets. 22 momme is equivalent to a 600 thread count sheet. The sets include a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and 2 pillowcases, and are seamless for extra durability. If you are someone who likes silk, as well as sheets with a bit of thickness, these sheets give you the best of both.
The sheets are Oeko-Tex certified, meaning no harmful chemicals or dyes are used. They are hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, and dust mite, dirt, oil, mold, and allergen repellent. Even being a bit thicker, they are still breathable and temperature-regulating for coolness and comfort.
Pros: thicker than standard silk sheet and thus are of better quality, hypoallergenic, uses natural dyes and materials, temperature-regulating, harder to break
Cons: are more expensive
6. Best Durable Silk Sheets: ElleSilk Mulberry Silk Flat Sheet
Why You’ll Like Them: This silk bedding uses higher quality of silk fibers making it harder to break with normal wear and tear.
The sheet is naturally hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, and resistant to allergens and dust mites, making it great for sensitive skin types and those with allergies. The denser weight also adds to its durability and sheen, and it’s seamless for added comfort.
You can get the sheet in a wide variety of colors, all naturally dyed with no harmful chemicals, Oeko-Tex certified. The sheets are machine washable for easy care.
Pros: high-quality mulberry silk, durable, natural dyes, denser weight, hypoallergenic, fade-resistant, wide variety of color choices
Cons: only a flat sheet, not a set, somewhat expensive
Click here to see these sheets on Amazon
7. Best Luxury (Splurge) Silk Sheets: Lily Silk 25 momme Mulberry Sheet Set
Why You’ll Like It: If you want to really splurge and treat yourself to a luxury silk sheet set, this is the one to go for.
Made from 25 momme (equivalent to a 700 thread count sheet) 100% mulberry silk, this is a brand that is known for luxurious top-quality bedding. The sheets have a light airy feel, while still being able to adequately insulate you. You have a choice of 12 decadent colors to choose from, so should be able to match any décor.
Another unique feature is that, because raw silk is used, it contains amino acids that are known for triggering sleep. The smooth texture also guards against wrinkles on the skin because it won’t bunch up as you sleep. The set comes with a flat sheet, a fitted sheet with 16-inch deep pockets, and 2 Oxford pillowcases.
Only environmentally friendly dyes are used, no harsh chemicals are used, and they are Oeko-Tex certified. 25 Momme silk is of better quality and higher durability than 22 Momme. They’re also machine washable and fade resistant.
Pros: premium quality mulberry silk, durable, hypo-allergenic, environmentally friendly dyes are used in 12 colors, and helps to promote better sleep
Cons: very expensive
View these premium quality sheets on Amazon
Silk Sheet Buyer Guide
Why consider “silk” for bed linen?
Silk bed linen has a number of benefits and advantages over other fabrics. Aside from it feeling luxurious and smooth on your skin, silk sheets are the best to use if you have allergies due to its hypoallergenic properties. It will resist mold, fungus, dust, and a number of allergens.
Because it is smooth and not irritating to the skin, it’s the perfect choice for those with sensitive skin, dermatitis, eczema, and other skin conditions. It helps your skin and hair retain moisture and causes less friction, which is why many use silk “beauty” pillowcases.
Silk is known for its ability to regulate temperature, making it perfect to use in all seasons, as well as for those who are hot or cold sleepers, women undergoing menopause or experiencing hot flushes. It’s a natural fabric that is long-lasting and durable.
The Types of Silk
Before you buy silk sheets, it’s good to know what type of silk is best for bedding. There are several types of silk available on the market, each with its own unique characteristics.
Mulberry Silk
Mulberry is the highest quality silk that you can find and is what most look for when choosing bedding. Mulberry is produced by the Bombyx mori silkworm. This silkworm thrives on a diet of leaves from mulberry trees. They have been bred and farmed to create silk for over 5,000 years. It’s this careful breeding that makes for such a high-quality end product.
Charmeuse Silk
Charmeuse is seen more commonly, being used is a variety of products, from dress shirts to bedding. Like mulberry silk, it’s made from cultivated silk, which means the silkworms used are farmed specifically to create this type. It’s very lightweight and naturally elastic, making it a good choice for bedding. If you look at charmeuse fabric you will see that the top of the fabric has a satin-like sheen, while the back of the fabric has a dull finish to it.
Habotai Silk
Habotai is another version of silk that is commonly used in bedding. It’s a less expensive variety of silk, but also quite durable. The silk is often run through a sand “wash” to give it a soft feel that is comparable to charmeuse. However, this harsh process breaks the fibers down, which means it won’t last as long.
Tussah Silk
Tussah is created from silkworms in the wild that are not farmed or bred. Because they are not given a strict diet, the silk that comes from them is not as durable or soft as silk that has been cultivated. Most tussah silk comes from India, rather than China.
Dupioni Silk
Dupioni is a lustrous, strong silk but also very coarse, making it a less ideal choice for bedding and sheets. It’s considered to be a low-quality silk because it is produced from irregular silkworm cocoons. Because of its lower quality, it isn’t able to maintain temperature as well as higher quality silk.
Charmeuse vs. Mulberry Silk
Since Charmeuse and Mulberry are the most sought after silks for sheets and bedding, let’s take a look at what makes these two stand apart when compared to each other.
Mulberry
As mentioned earlier, it’s the diet of mulberry leaves that gives this silk its name. Mulberry leaves have been used for thousands of years in the cultivation and production of silk. The larvae of the silkworms are fed this diet and are cared for in a strict environment as they weave their silk fibers. Its this strict cultivation process that creates these finer, more rounded, strong, and uniform threads, giving it the silky smoothness silk is known for.
Fact: Mulberry fibers have beaten steel fibers of the same diameter in strength
Charmeuse
Also a cultivated silk, charmeuse refers to how the silk threads that are produced by the larvae are woven together. This weaving method is what gives it a lustrous shine on the top and a matte finish on the back. This is why it’s used more for pillowcases and duvets, where the backside of the fabric will be hidden. Charmeuse can be made from a variety of silks.
What type of silk is best for sheets?
Mulberry silk is the top choice for silk sheets. It’s hypoallergenic, odorless, and 100% natural. It contains sericin, a natural protein that lowers the chance of allergic reactions. You spend 8 or more hours cocooned in your bedding. So, it makes sense to have a fabric that won’t irritate your skin. While charmeuse is also a high-quality silk, most people don’t want to have sheets that have one side looking a dull matte. Mulberry silk is lustrous on both sides.
Something you want to be careful of is any bedding that says it is “silk-filled”. More often than not, these products are filled with a mix of lower quality silk, like Habotai, and polyester.
Momme silk explained
If you’ve been researching silk bedding, you may have come across the term “momme”. Momme, pronounced, moe-mie, is a form of measuring weight in Japan. You may see silk sheets with 19mm on the packaging. The mm refers to momme, not millimeter. Momme is the weight in pounds of a piece of 45-inch by 100-yard fabric. For example, a bolt of 20mm silk in 100 yards and 45-inches weighs 20 pounds.
Silk with a lighter momme weight is more often used in clothing. For bedding, a higher weight is needed and you will usually see silk sheets starting off at a 14 momme weight. Anything between 14 to 22 momme is perfect for sheets.
Generally speaking, 22mm silk is a lot sturdier than 19mm silk despite being the only 3mm higher and can withstand stronger washes. Comfort-wise, they are similar in terms of thermal regulation and moisture-wicking capabilities, so both should be greatly suited for the “warm sleeper” type if that’s you.
As a matter of fact, a large portion of customers buying silk sheets are women undergoing menopause and suffering from nightly hot flashes, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive regarding the sweating caused by these episodes.
Similarly, 25 Momme silk is of better quality than 22 Momme. So we suggest you choose 25 or 22 Momme which is more durable.
Note: More threads = more durable and expensive
The type of silk used will also determine its weight. Charmeuse, which is a high-quality silk, will be between 12 to 30 momme, whereas lower quality silk, such as habotai, runs between 5 to 15 momme.
What is the best season to have silk sheets?
Because of silks’ ability to regulate temperature, it can be used year-round. This means you don’t have to switch out your bedding as the seasons change, and can enjoy silk all year long. If you tend to sleep cold, you can match your silk sheets with a silk duvet for some added warmth.
Silk doesn’t bunch up like other fabrics. It drapes the entire body in one even layer, which helps keep the body temperature even. It’s also breathable and doesn’t trap air. All of this works to help the body regulate its temperature, which is why silk is such a flexible fabric.
What is the best thread count for silk sheets?
Most high-quality silk sheets aren’t measured using thread count, but rather momme, as explained earlier. However, you will find some do. In these cases the higher the thread count, the tighter the weave. A good thread count for silk sheets is 400. Anything that is lower won’t be as durable.
Silk vs. Satin
For many, silk and satin may seem like the same thing. However, there are differences, the first being in price. Satin is a lot less expensive than silk. The big difference is that silk is a fabric and satin is a type of weave. That’s right, you can buy satin silk sheets! This doesn’t mean that all satin bedding is made using silk.
With that understanding, let’s compare mulberry silk with a polyester fabric that has a satin weave. Silk is a natural fiber, whereas polyester is synthetic. For people with sensitive skin or skin conditions, a polyester satin pillowcase will still cause some degree of irritation, where a silk pillowcase won’t.
While both give you a smooth slick surface, silk causes the least friction on the skin and hair. It also repels bacteria, fungi, mold, dust mites, and allergens. A satin fabric, unless made from silk or another natural fiber, won’t do that.
Satin can be a good choice if you want sheets with a luxurious feel but are on a budget. However affordable these sheets are, you may not get the same benefits as you would with sheets that are made from silk.
Silk Care
Silk sheets will require a bit more care than cotton sheets. High-quality silk will naturally repel dust, dirt, and oils, which means it needs less washing than traditional fabrics. For the most part, silk sheets can be machine washed and air-dried. However, always read the manufacturer’s care instructions.
You may find that items such as duvets, blankets, or pillowcases made of silk need special care.
Here are some basics for washing silk sheets:
- Always wash them on their own to avoid rougher fabrics from damaging the silk fibers.
- Never use any type of bleaching agent, as this will also damage the fibers.
- Never tumble dry silk sheets. The tumbling motion and high heat can damage silk fibers.
- When machine or hand washing, always use cold water.
- Only dry silk sheets by air.
- You can lightly iron your sheets but only on a cool setting and only on the fabric’s underside.
A Final Note on Buying Silk Sheets..
Is it worth it to splash out on silk sheets? Many would say yes due to their luxurious feel and beneficial properties. The health and beauty industry swears by them for anti-aging, caring for your skin and hair, and reducing wrinkles.
Out of the sheets we reviewed today, many had our eyes on those LilySilk super luxurious sheets to pamper our skin and as women who tend to overheat at night, these were great for keeping our skin cool through the night. Their 3-piece mulberry silk set is also a bit more down to earth in price. We hope this review and guide will help you find your perfect set of silk sheets to enjoy!