Understanding silk
If you have compared silk pillowcases, you may have seen numbers such as 16, 19 or 22 momme — but what do those numbers actually mean?
Momme is a traditional measure of silk fabric weight. It gives useful information about how substantial a silk fabric is, but it is only one part of assessing quality. Fibre quality, weave, finishing and construction also influence how a finished silk pillowcase looks, feels and performs. Understanding momme makes it easier to compare silk products more meaningfully than relying on the words “100% silk” alone.
What is momme?
Momme, often abbreviated as mm, is a traditional unit used to describe the weight of silk fabric. It gives us a standard way to compare how much a piece of silk fabric weighs relative to its area.
Traditionally, the momme number represents the weight in pounds of a piece of silk measuring 45 inches wide and 100 yards long. In metric terms, one momme is approximately 4.34 grams per square metre.
This means that, when comparing fabrics of the same area, a 22 momme silk fabric contains more silk by weight than a 19 momme or 16 momme fabric.
But momme should not be confused with a complete measure of quality. It tells you about fabric weight — not the quality of the raw silk, the standard of weaving, finishing or the construction of the finished pillowcase.
22
Momme
A measure of silk fabric weight
The number describes how much the silk fabric weighs for a standard area — helping you compare the substance of different silk fabrics.
And what does 6A grade mean?
Momme tells you about the weight of the silk fabric. Silk grade describes something different: the quality characteristics of the silk fibre or yarn used to make it.
In the grading terminology commonly used for mulberry silk, 6A is used to describe a high grade of silk, associated with long, fine and relatively uniform filaments with fewer irregularities.
Why does that matter? More uniform silk filaments can be made into smoother and more consistent yarn, which in turn helps produce the refined, even surface expected from premium silk fabric.
However, just like momme, a grade alone does not tell you everything about a finished pillowcase. Weaving, dyeing, finishing and construction all contribute to the quality of the final product.
6A describes the grade of the silk used. 22 momme describes the weight of the silk fabric. They are not interchangeable.
6A
Mulberry Silk
Long filaments
Long, continuous silk filaments are desirable for producing fine silk yarn.
Greater uniformity
More consistent filaments help create a smoother, more even yarn.
Fewer irregularities
Higher-grade material is selected for greater consistency and fewer defects.
“100% silk” doesn’t
tell you everything.
100% Silk
What is the
fibre?
22 Momme
What is the
fabric weight?
6A Grade
What grade is
the silk?
When shopping for a silk pillowcase, you’ll often see “100% silk” prominently displayed. That is useful information — it tells you the fibre content — but it does not describe every characteristic of the fabric.
Silk pillowcases can be made at different momme weights. 16, 19 and 22 momme, for example, represent different fabric weights. For the same fabric area, 22 momme contains more silk by weight than 19 momme or 16 momme.
Momme is also different from silk grade. The grade provides information about characteristics of the silk used, while momme describes the weight of the finished silk fabric.
That is why we believe useful specifications should be easy to find. SILVA clearly states the specifications of our fabric: 100% mulberry silk, 6A grade and 22 momme.
Why we chose 22 momme
We chose 22 momme mulberry silk because it gives the fabric a more substantial weight than lighter 16 or 19 momme options, while retaining the smooth, fluid character we want from a silk pillowcase.
More substantial
At approximately 95 g/m², 22 momme has greater fabric mass than 16 or 19 momme silk of the same area.
Smooth against hair
Silk naturally creates a smooth, low-friction sleeping surface, reducing the pulling and snagging associated with rougher fabrics.
Gentle surface
The fine, smooth surface of silk feels soft against the skin and creates less surface friction than more textured bedding fabrics.
The silk experience
22 momme gives us the substantial feel, fluid drape and natural lustre we wanted for an everyday silk pillowcase.
22 momme isn’t simply about choosing a bigger number. For SILVA, it is the balance of fabric weight, smoothness and feel that makes it the right choice for our pillowcases.