All that you wanted to know about silk and silk bedding

• About Silk
• Why pick silk?
• Types of Silk Weaves
• How to pick silk bedding

About Silk

Silk in not a plant fiber but a protein fiber made by the silk worm.  There are 2 types of worms - cultivated and wild.  The silk worm feeds on scrub oak and are found in India, China, And Japan.  The fiber of the wild silkworm is a coarse brown with hard texture.   

Extraordinary care is taken of the silkworms that are raised for the textile production ensuring the conditions are sanitary and they are fed mulberry leaves.  It takes 3,000 silkworms to produce one pound of raw silk.  That is why silk is an expensive fabric.  A single cocoon of a cultivated silkworm can  be upto 1,600 yards long.

The natural silk fiber is superior to any animal or plant fiber despite its very delicate appearance.  They are light and supple and comfortable year  round- warm in winter and cool in summer.  However, it is a poor conductor of heat making clothes of this fabric warmer than cotton or linen.  It absorbs a great deal of moisture and still feel relatively dry.  Silks absorb moisture and oil form the body and easily shed the dirt thus making it a sanitary textile.  

Cultivated silk more expensive than wild silk is also finer, smoother, rounder, more uniform in shape, size and color, and has longer thread filament.  This will cost you more but it is also more durable.  Cultivated silk is also known as mulberry silk.  Wild silk is called spun silk because the filaments are not very long so the filaments are spun together to make it long.

France is well known for its finished silks even though they come from Asia.

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How to tell if it is real silk?

• When it is burnt smells like hair burning
• Will curl away from the flame and form a small brittle ball that can be crushed.
• Almost always extinguishes itself out.

Why pick silk?

• 100% Natural and Hypo-allergenic - Dust mites, molds and funguses stay away form silk due to the naturally occurring substances in the silk.  Thus silk bedding the  perfect choice for people with allergies and asthama.  Silk is also mold and mildew resistant due to the natural resisting protein found in silk which often cause allergies
• Good for the skin -the naturally occurring amino acids in silk are good for a  person's skin and prevent wrinkling and bad hair days. 
• Light Weight - silk is light weight making it the perfect choice for silk sheets and silk bedding.
• Temperature regulation - is breathable where one never feels hot or cold.  Wicks away the moisture in summer and in winter forms to the body eliminating air pockets to hold in heat to keep your body warm.  It is a perfect self adujusting fabric ideal for year round.
• Durable- strong and resilient and lasts for a long time.  The durability of silk to the same diameter of steel is said to be stronger.
• Fire retardant - silk is naturally fire retardant
• Easy to care for - Most can be machine washed using gentle soap and water.  Silk comforters should not be cleaned as they naturally repel dut mites, mold and mildew.
• Luxurious and sensous feel - silk sheets give you the feel and experience of luxury.  They caress your body in the softness of the silk which is second to none.
• Calms the nervous system- allows the body to refresh and rejuvenate while sleeping

Types of Silk Weaves

Charmeuse Silk - known as the silk of the emperors.  It is known for its shine and smooth luster and elegant drape. 

How to pick silk Bedding

• When picking silk sheets it is very important to look at the momme weight and the thread count.  Momme weight is the weight of the silk.  The lower the count indicates that they are thin and won't be very durable.  12-19 is the perfect momme weight for sheets.  A 400 thread count combined with cultivated silk makes a perfect choice when buying silk sheets that will be high quality and durable.
• Type of silk.  There are 2 types of silk - cultivated and wild.  The filaments of the cultivated silk are longer and more durable making them a recommended choice over wild silk.
• Silk versus satin - sometimes there can be confusion between satin and silk.  Satin refers to the weave while silk refers to the fiber.  Satin weave produces a smooth and shiny surface.  Satin silk sheets are very luxurious, durable and desirable, though they can be a bit expensive.
• Check the size as well as the depth of your mattress before picking a sheet.  Check the depth of the mattress to see if you need to order extra deep sheets.