6A, 22-Momme & 100% Mulberry Silk: You need to know when buying silk (2024)

FAQs

Is 6A grade mulberry silk good? ›

The finest quality Silk is the 6A grade which is the most expensive to produce and buy.

Momme describes the silk's weight and density. Higher momme means there is more strands of silk per 100 yards of fabric, therefore making the product heavier. So if they weigh that fabric, and say it's 19 pounds, the momme would be 19-momme The higher the momme higher quality and more durable the fabric is.

We have tested other momme counts and our testers found 22 momme silk was the most comfortable against their skin. Silk is a remarkably resilient material but the higher the momme count, the better it will withstand washing.

Look for a silk pillowcase made from 100% pure mulberry silk. Mulberry silk comes from the Bombyx mori silkworm, a species whose diet consists exclusively of leaves from the Mulberry tree. The finest silk in the world is grown and woven in China, where they've been making silk for more than 4,000 years.

"6A is the highest quality raw silk with long strands, low size deviation, evenness, cleanness, neatness, tenacity and minimal defects.

Source: Mulberry silk comes from the cocoons of silkworms that feed exclusively on mulberry tree leaves. In contrast, other types of silk are derived from the cocoons of worms that consume a variety of plants, such as oak or pine. Quality: Mulberry silk is renowned for its fine texture, softness, and durability.

Simply touch your silk and get a good feel for the smoothness of it. Real silk is completely smooth to the touch, with a soft and almost waxy feeling. Further to that, if you scrunch it up a bit in your hand, you should hear a crunching noise – that sound should tell you that it's the real deal.

Mulberry silk is the highest quality silk you can find. Think of it as the Egyptian cotton equivalent of silk: The fibers are longer and more uniform so the fabric is smoother and more durable.

The longevity of mulberry silk bedding depends on its quality and care. High-quality silk bedding can last for over 10 years with proper care. Silk bedding should be washed by hand or on a delicate cycle in a washing machine, using a gentle detergent.

Why is mulberry silk so expensive? ›

The process of harvesting Mulberry silk is a delicate one. The cocoons are carefully harvested by hand, and the silk threads are then carefully extracted. This process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, which is why Mulberry silk is more expensive than other types of silk.

Mulberry silk is naturally hypoallergenic and resists dust mites, mold, mildew, and allergens. It is free of any potentially irritating added chemicals and is perfect for those with allergies or sensitive skin.

“According to China's GBT 1797-2008 Raw Silk Quality Standards, the raw silk is divided into 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, C, D, E, and F, a total of 11 grades. The most commonly used 6 grades are from 6A to A. 6A is the grade indicating the best quality.”

You can take a few threads from the material and burn it with a flame. Genuine silk burns with smell of burnt hair. When you burn the edge of real silk fabric, the flame is invisible and it will stop burning as soon as the flame is removed. The ash produced hence, is black, crispy and brittle.

The Letters and Numbers Behind Silk Grading

Within the letter grade, silk is further delineated by number, with 6 being the highest. Therefore, 6A is always used to describe the finest grade silk. There is NO such thing as Grade 7A silk.

Mulberry silk is renowned as the best type of silk, however even in this type there are 11 grades of silk: Grade 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, C, D, E, F.

Anything under 20 momme is considered lightweight silk. 20 momme to 28 momme is considered midweight, with anything above 28 momme is categorized as heavy.

IDENTIFICATION OF PURE SILK

Bleach Test - Pure Silk or Mulberry Silk dissolves 100% in bleach. Artificial Silk or Polyester does not change. Burn Test - Pure Silk burns with transparency and smells like burnt hair and the burned part is crispy and could even be crushed into ashes.