Silk pillowcases could be the secret to beautiful skin and hair and are reported to have some interesting beauty benefits. Before we jump into our Best Silk Pillowcase UK list, there are some interesting claims made about silk.
According to Fiona Stewart, the Founder of SLIP, silk fibres are much less absorbent as compared to other materials used in pillowcases thus maintaining your skins natural moisture levels. She also claims that cotton causes a lot of friction whereas some silk pillowcases are scientifically proven to produce up to 43% less drag or friction compared to traditional cotton pillowcases.
Silk pillowcases also have some great benefits to your hair, besides the less friction (no more bed head) because of its minor absorption properties it's said to absorb less sebum which in theory reduces your scalp from replenishing it, making it a great option for those with oily hair. Nichola Stott, founder of SilkUp claims that silk pillowcases can prolong a blow-dry and listen to this, improve the overall quality of your hair, minimising thinning, frizz and even split ends.
If you are looking for an excellent quality luxurious silk pillowcase, you may want to aim for mulberry silk which is said to be 100% natural, odourless and hypoallergenic. If you don't manage to find mulberry silk, make sure the alternatives are 100% pure silk pillowcases as many manufactures infuse synthetic materials into the pillowcases.
It is also important to be made aware that silk pillowcases are graded in “mommes” this pretty much indicates the weight. 12-19 mommes is considered high quality.
Now that we understand some silk fundamentals and the benefits silk pillowcases bring to the bedroom, let's jump into some of the best silk pillowcases here in the UK.
From our research we found these silk pillowcases to be most recommendable in the UK (Important Considerations in Conclusion).
| BRAND | TYPE | MOMMES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALASKA BEAR | 100% Mulberry silk pillowcase | 19 | £20.99 |
| John Lewis & Partners | 100% Mulberry silk pillowcase | 19 | £45 |
| Soak & Sleep | 100% Mulberry silk pillowcase | 19 | £52.50 (pair) |
| ZIMASILK | 100% Mulberry silk pillowcase | 19 | £62.71 |
| LilySilk | 100% Mulberry silk pillowcase | 19-25 | £26.39 |
1. ALASKA BEAR Natural Silk Pillowcase
This silk pillowcase from ALASKA BEAR stood out from all the others, quite simply, it has thousands of customer reviews with the vast majority giving it a full 5-star review. Besides being the most rated silk pillowcase from Amazon it is also one of the most affordable.
Regarding the material, it is 100% pure mulberry silk which is regarded as the highest quality silk available. The 19 mommes (density measurement, similar to the thread count in cotton) is one of the highest counts in silk pillowcases in the UK, some go up to 22 or 25 mommes but those are relatively rare.
What's great about the ALASKA BEAR silk pillowcase is that it comes in around 5 sizes with the majority of the popular and standard sizes being available. There are also over 10 colours to choose from which gives you a bit of playroom for finding the right colour to match your bedroom. By the way, they are naturally dyed which means no colour shading or fading.
The pillowcases feature silk on both sides whereas many "silk pillowcases" only feature it on one side to cut costs. The ALASKA BEAR is also designed in a way to hide the zipper for overall style and comfort.
2. John Lewis Ultimate Silk Pillowcase
Here we have a silk pillowcase from John Lewis & Partners Ultimate Collection. This is the best silk pillowcase from John Lewis & Partners which we based solely on the number of customer reviews and their rating.
This bestseller is made from pure mulberry silk and is graded at 19 mommes and can be selected from a range of over 10 different subtle colours.
A great reason to consider this silk pillowcase is its ease of use and practicality. It can be machine washed at up to 40°C. They don't mention washing it on a gentle cycle but from our research, we would recommend you do. You can also tumble dry it at low temperature if need be.
3. Soak & Sleep Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
Here you get a pack of 2 silk pillowcases which brings the price per pillowcase into the what we call affordable and fair price range. Which is where we tried to stay with this best silk pillowcase UK list.
These silk pillowcases come from Soak & Sleep, a reputable online bed retailer here in the UK with excellent Trustpilot reviews to their name. They may not have the range you would find from Amazon but they do offer regular discount codes which you could take advantage of to get the silk pillowcases at a discounted price.
Looking at the specs, it's made from 100% mulberry silk and a rating of 19 mommes. There is a small range of colours to pick from with some colours costing more than others. Regarding the care instructions, you can either wash by hand or pop it into the wash at a maximum temperature of 30°C on a delicate setting.
Soak & Sleep also have a whole bed linen range if you are looking to move from traditional sheets, pillowcases and duvets its silk alternative.
4. ZIMASILK 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
On our Best Silk Pillowcase UK list we have yet another highly rated and popular silk pillowcase. The ZIMASILK silk pillowcase has thousands of positive customer reviews, with many of them stating that they have tried other silk pillowcases but none as good as this one.
The ZIMASILK is made from 100% mulberry silk on both sides and a 19 momme rating. What we particularly like about this pillowcase is the attention to detail in its design. It is made with a hidden zipper design and a twin hemstitching which makes it stronger along the seams.
ZIMASILK has also been health conscience when creating this product. It is absolutely eco-friendly, chemical-free, naturally dyed and contains no formaldehyde.
Although washing by hand is the best way to wash silk pillowcases in the long run, with this one you can also machine wash it but they recommend placing the garments in a mesh washing bag.
5. LilySilk Silk Pillowcase
LilySilk is a big name in the world of silk bedding and nightwear. They are said to be relentlessly committed to quality and perfection, which is also communicated through their motto "Designed to last". Talk is cheap but LilySilk also walks the walk which shows on their Trustpilot score and in their customer reviews.
Getting into the product, the LilySilk pillowcase is made from 100% 19 momme pure mulberry silk, completely chemical and additive-free. It is even OEKO-TEX standard 100 certified which is a trusted organisation that approves all components used are free from harmful substances.
An interesting fact about LilySilk silk pillowcases is that they are made using Grade 6A mulberry silk, this grade is only given to 5% silk in the world.
You can find a whole range of silk pillowcases from LilySilk including silks with momme grades of 22 and 25. These higher momme grades will, of course, translate into a higher sales price.
Conclusion
The most important takeaways we can think of to set you on the right path to finding a silk pillowcase for you would be:
- Look to see if the silk is on both sides of the pillowcase (many brands try to cut costs and offer the silk only on one side).
- Decide on which momme would suit you best. 12-19 is great quality, and going for 22 or 25 momme you should find an incremental quality increase but usually with a large price increase.
- Mulberry silk is seen to be the best quality silk used in silk pillowcases with cheaper versions infusing synthetic materials.
- Look at washing and care. Can it be machine washed or not?
- Finally, check if it can be zipped closed (hidden zip is optimal) as we have read some complaints about pillows slipping out of the silk pillowcases.
these are some of the most important factors and questions to take into consideration when buying a silk pillowcase in the UK, we hope you found our Best Silk Pillowcase UK list to be insightful and helpful.