The best silk pillowcases can transform your bed and your sleep experience. That might sound dramatic, but as Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the last few months testing the best silk pillowcases on the market, and I'm now 100% convinced silk is the best fabric to rest your head on at night.
So much so that I'm ditching all of my cotton pillowcases in favour of Mulberry silk pillowcases from now on. Why? Because there is no other fabric that performs quite so well next to my skin.
A silk pillowcase doesn't just feel super luxurious to sleep on, but silk fibres also have numerous skin and hair benefits. Silk doesn't sap the skin's natural moisture in the way cotton and synthetic fabrics can, so it's less likely to cause dryness or make skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis worse. It's also naturally hypoallergenic, and its smooth surface is perfect for taming frizzy hair.
Plus, silk pillowcases are perfect for hot sleepers like me. That silky surface doesn't just feel cool to the touch when you first lie your head down. I paired my silk pillowcase with one of the best pillows for hot sleepers, and silk's natural temperature-regulating qualities mean I haven't overheated or turned my pillow over in search of a cooler side once.
Best silk pillowcases
The downside is that the silk pillowcases can be expensive. Which is why I've compiled my past few months of testing into a round-up of the best silk pillowcases on the market. This is the silk bedding I would buy again... and again, and again.
RRP: £65 for a pair
Momme: 19
Colour options: 5
Gift box included: no
Soak & Sleep's 19 momme Mulberry silk pillowcases feel super silky and smooth, and seeing as you get a pair of pillowcases for the price, they're also the best combination of quality and value I've found. The downsides? I loved the Antique Silver colourway I tested, but there are only four other shades, and if you're thinking of gifting this set, they don't come in a gift box, and the packaging doesn't feel particularly special.
RRP: £45
Momme: 19
Colour options: 14
Gift box included: no
John Lewis' 19 momme Mulberry silk pillowcases may be £45 for one single pillowcase, but they're made from organic silk and have Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification. There are also 14 shades to choose from, so you have a better chance of matching a pillowcase with your bedding. There's just no gift box included, so again, fine if you're buying for yourself, but for gifting, this option doesn't feel particularly special.
RRP: £80
Momme: 22
Colour options: 94
Gift box included: yes
Blissy offers Mulberry silk pillowcases in 94 colours and patterns. Unlike my first two options, the brand's silk is also 22 momme and Oeko-Tex® certified, although when I handled it, I couldn't feel much difference from the 19 momme alternatives. The one thing that really sets Blissy apart – other than the brand's unparalleled pattern and colour choices – is its gift boxing, which instantly elevates the unwrapping experience. If I were buying a silk pillowcase as a gift, this would be where I shopped.
RRP: £55
Momme: 22
Colour options: 2
Gift box included: yes
Did I say Blissy was my go-to silk pillowcase for gifting? It is, but scooms gives Blissy a run for its money, and the brand's pillowcases are far better value. Like Blissy, scooms Mulberry silk is 22 momme and Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified. Plus, each pillow comes beautifully wrapped in tissue and housed in a very stylish gift box which is perfect for gifting. At just £55 for a single pillowcase, that's also considerably cheaper than Blissy's at £80 a pop. However, scooms only has two colourways to choose from; fine if you like black or white, but not quite the excitement of Blissy's rainbow range.
RRP: £25.99
Momme: 19
Colour options: 20
Gift box included: no
This Mulberry silk pillowcase is an Amazon bestseller, and with its £25.99 price tag, it's easy to see why. It's also available in 20 colour options and 5 different sizes. It's 19 momme, so it should be comparable to Soak & Sleep and John Lewis' options, but I found it felt thinner. Its packaging was also disappointing, so it felt 'cheaper' than all the other options I tested. But then, it is cheaper, which is also this pillowcase's main selling point. I can't say it's the best silk pillowcase I tested, but if you want an affordable option, this did the trick. Plus, it comes with a bonus silk hair scrunchie included.
RRP: £6.29 for a pair
Momme: not applicable - this option is satin and not silk
Colour options: 21
Gift box included: no
That leads me to the most budget-friendly option in my round-up. First, it's important to make clear that this pillowcase is the only one on my shortlist that isn't made from silk. It's made from satin, which can't compare to silk in terms of look, feel, or overall quality. However, this satin pillowcase does offer a super smooth and glossy surface. So if you're simply looking for a pillowcase that will smooth frizzy hair, I found this option worked. And, it's only £6.29 for a pair. If you can't afford to invest in a real silk pillowcase right now, this is the best alternative I've found.
How I tested
I'm Amy, Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, and I've spent the last four years testing sleep products by night and sharing my findings with our readers by day. I'm a hot sleeper, prone to dry skin, and have hair that can turn to frizz at the drop of a hat, so there was no one better to put the best silk pillowcases through their paces for this guide.
I tested each of these silk pillowcases by sleeping on it for at least a week on my own bed.
I also dived into the specifications to find out each pillowcase's momme rating, how many colour options it's available in (ideally I like a little more choice than simply white), and its washing instructions. I also read customer reviews to make sure that other owners experiences aligned with my own.
I then washed each pillowcase according to its care instructions to make sure there wasn't any shrinkage and that this delicate fabric came out of the washing machine in the same condition it went in.
I've only included those silk pillowcases that performed the best in this round-up.
How to choose a silk pillowcase
There's a common theme in all of the best silk pillowcases I tested, and that's that they're all made from Mulberry silk (apart from the one rogue satin entry I included as a budget alternative).
There are four main types of silk, and Mulberry silk – so named because the silkworms that produce the cocoons that this silk is spun from are fed exclusively on mulberry leaves – is widely recognised as the softest and smoothest. That makes Mulberry silk the perfect option to have next to your face overnight.
Having tested other options simply described as 'silk', I would recommend sourcing a Mulberry silk pillowcase if you want the best quality.
It's also worth considering the silk's 'momme' rating. Momme is for silk what the best thread count is for cotton bedding, as Deborah Fiddy, founder of silk bedding and nightwear brand Gingerlily, explains.
'Silk is measured by a different unit called “momme”,' says Deborah. 'The higher the momme, the thicker the finished material is and therefore, the softer and longer lasting your bed linen will be.’
All of the best silk pillowcases I tested were between 19 and 22 momme, and although I didn't notice that much difference in quality between these two ratings, I would recommend not going any lower if you want a high-quality fabric.
FAQs
Are silk pillowcases actually better for you?
Whilst silk pillowcases aren't necessarily 'better' for you, this silk bedding does have benefits that cotton or synthetic fabrics don't.
'Silk bedding offers a luxurious and comfortable sleep experience,' explains Deborah Fiddy, founder of silk bedding and nightwear brand, Gingerlily. No fabric feels quite as luxuriously sensual as silk.
A silk pillowcase is also a great option for hot sleepers. 'Silk is temperature-regulating, so it'll help keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night,' explain Emily and Jonathan Attwood, founders of luxury bedding brand scooms.
Plus, 'silk is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, promoting a healthier sleeping environment,' says Deborah. 'Silk also has a high protein content, which will keep your skin soft as you sleep – making it the ideal choice for anyone with allergies or skin conditions such as eczema.’
Is silk hot to sleep on?
Wondering if a silk pillowcase will make your head hot? No, it will do the exact opposite.
'The benefits of silk can be felt more profoundly in the summer,' explains Deborah Fiddy of Gingerlily. 'Silk's inherent temperature-regulating properties help keep you cool by allowing heat and moisture to escape, acting as a natural heat conductor, adjusting to your body temperature as you sleep and preventing overheating.'
What is the highest rated silk pillowcase?
After testing numerous silk pillowcases at home, I rate Soak & Sleep, John Lewis, Blissy, and scooms as the best silk pillowcases to shop. Which brand you opt for will largely depend on whether you want a pair or a single pillowcase, which retailer has your preferred colour choice, and if you want your silk pillowcase gift boxed. If you're gifting the pillowcase, Blissy or scooms offer the best gift boxed options.
What silk pillowcase is comparable to Blissy?
I found that Soak & Sleep, John Lewis, and scooms all offered Mulberry silk pillowcases that were comparable to Blissy's quality. The main difference is that Blissy's Mulberry silk pillowcases come in a *lot* more colour options, and the brand offers the widest choice of patterned Mulberry silk pillowcases I've come across.
How do you wash a silk pillowcase?
Silk is a very durable material, but it does require more tender loving care to maintain than cotton, linen, or synthetic materials. Our guide to how to wash a silk pillowcase talks you through the washing process, which requires specialist silk detergent and a cooler, delicate machine cycle.
