01Silk
From cocoon to pillow.
A leaf, a silkworm, a thread several hundred metres long. How a cocoon becomes the fabric that lies on your skin at night, and what 22 momme and grade 6A mean.
The leaf
It all starts with the mulberry tree. The Bombyx mori silkworm eats nothing but its leaves, for about four weeks, day and night. Raised in calm, controlled conditions, it will later spin a particularly long, even and fine thread.
The cocoon
Then it spins itself in: one single, unbroken thread of the protein fibroin, held together by sericin, the silk gum. In two to three days a cocoon forms that holds several hundred metres of thread in one piece.
Reeling
The cocoons are softened in warm water and the thread is carefully unwound. Several threads together make a raw silk thread, still dull and stiff from the sericin.
Degumming
The silk gum is washed out. What remains is the smooth, cool, softly lustrous fibre we know as silk: fibroin.
Weaving
For our pieces the silk is woven in a satin weave, as charmeuse. The threads run long on the face, hence the sheen. The back stays matte. Only now is it decided how dense the cloth becomes: the momme.
And wild silk?
Wild silks such as tussah come from other species that feed in the open. Their threads are shorter and less regular, the cloth rougher. For anything that lies directly on skin and hair, mulberry silk is the reference.
What “momme” means
Momme (mm) is the Japanese unit of weight for silk: 1 momme = 4.34 g/m². The number tells you how much silk is in a square metre of cloth, in other words how dense the weave is. The higher, the heavier, more opaque and more durable. The lower, the lighter and more sheer.
How it is measured: a piece of silk 45 inches wide and 100 yards long (about 1.1 by 91 metres) is weighed. If it weighs 22 pounds, the cloth is 22 momme.
Where 22 momme sits
22 momme, the standard for silk bedding
- 16 to 19 mommeLight and cheap, but thin. The silk wears faster and turns see-through over time. Common in budget pillowcases.
- 22 mommeDense, smooth and long-lasting while still light and cool. The standard for quality silk bedding.
- 25 momme and upHeavier and more expensive again, noticeably warmer. Rarely needed for a pillowcase.
Our pillowcases are 22 momme (≈ 95 g/m²). A 50 × 70 cm pillowcase therefore weighs 76 to 82 grams; our sample weighs 81 grams on the scale. The usual 16 momme would come in at around 60 grams.
What “grade 6A” means
The letters describe the fibre quality (A is the long-fibre, highest class) and the number the level within it. 6A is the top. Grading is an industry convention, not an official standard. That is why we also state the weight: that one you can check.
Where our silk comes from
Our pieces are made in Suzhou, the centre of mulberry silk for centuries, from OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified production (product class I, the strictest level, the one that also applies to baby articles). They are stored, checked and shipped by us in Switzerland.
Not all silk is the same silk
The same fibre, woven differently. The weave decides the feel, the sheen and the usual weight.
- Chiffon6 to 8 mommeGossamer-thin and sheer: scarves, evening wear.
- Georgette8 to 12 mommeLightly crinkled, flowing: blouses, dresses.
- Crêpe de Chine12 to 16 mommeMatte with some body: dresses, blouses.
- Twill12 to 30 mommeFine diagonal texture: ties, scarves.
- Charmeuse12 to 30 mommeGlossy face, matte back: lingerie, bedding. Our fabric, at 22 momme.
Where the word comes from
15th century
Momme (匁) is an old Japanese unit of weight of 3.75 grams, once a coin as well. It is still used for pearls today.
19th century
Silk merchants adopt the unit for cloth. Instead of counting threads, they weigh a piece of 45 inches by 100 yards: as many pounds, as many momme.
Today
Japan went metric long ago; the silk world still weighs in momme. For you that means: 1 momme is 4.34 grams per square metre, and 22 momme is something you can check on a kitchen scale.
Overnight
New colours and sizes, first to you.
Champagne, Midnight Blue and the Swiss sizes 65 × 65 and 65 × 100 are coming. Sign up and we'll let you know.