Silk: Performs Well in Warm Weather
Naturally regulates body temperature: Protein-based silk fiber is breathable and can regulate body temperature while you sleep, keeping you cool in hot weather. In fact, silk sheets are recommended for anyone who normally sleeps hot or is coping with night sweats or hot flashes.
With the official summer months being on the horizon, it's a good time to switch out your spring bedding for a fully summer revamp ready for those warmer nights ahead. With linen being the staple of summer, there is also another slice of luxury that is perfect for those summer evenings and that is silk.
The first, and most significant, advantage of silk bedding is it simultaneously prevents overheating and keeps cool sleepers warm. When you sleep under traditional bedding, most of your body heat and sweat are trapped under the covers with you. However, silk bedding efficiently vents this heat and moisture away.
Silk as a natural fibre is breathable and keeps you feeling fresh during the night. Silk is a natural insulator also, trapping small amounts of air between the fibres to keep you warm when it's cold outside, yet it also vents excess heat when you overheat.
As a man-made and often synthetic material, satin is non-absorbent. Silk is a moisture-wicking fibre that keeps you dry at night, while discharging sweat and oils. Satin is admired for its soft luxury and exceptional quality, but it doesn't quite match silk in terms of breathability and comfort.
As such, silk is prone to fading when exposed to direct sunlight, either indoors or outside. Even this best silk bedding will fade if left in direct sunlight. This is why we recommend always hanging your silk to dry away from the sun. Happily, your silk sheets should air dry very quickly, even indoors.
DON'T put your silk items in the dryer if you can help it. Heat can damage delicate silk fibers. If dryer is absolutely necessary use only 'air' setting for 15 minutes or less with NO fabric sheets or dryer balls. Remove sheets and pillowcases before completely dry.
When comparing bamboo lyocell Vs silk, the majority of the main points of bamboo Vs silk can also be applied. While both are silky smooth – bamboo will last longer, get softer with time, wash well and provide hypoallergenic, antibacterial properties while you sleep.
Silk traps heat and gets too hot to sleep in for some, especially in summertime when you want to cool off in a smooth cooling fabric when you go to bed after a long hot day. Bamboo is a breathable fabric and a lot more comfortable, temperature-wise than silk.
Opt for percale weaves, as they're more breathable and airy than sateen picks. Linen: Like cotton, linen is also a natural fabric that is popular for its loose weave, providing excellent airflow. Note that linen sheets tend to be less soft than other materials.
The very nature of the silk fabric is that it can cling to your skin, which can lead to uncomfortable nights if you're already feeling overheated. So even though they allow for enough airflow at night, they may still be uncomfortable if you're already running hot.
What type of sheets sleep the coolest? In general, sheets made from linen, bamboo, and Tencel offer the coolest, most breathable feel. Cotton sheets that feature a percale weave are also known for being exceptionally lightweight and airy, perfect for hot sleepers.
Silk can keep you cooler in summers rather than cotton. Cotton absorbs sweat and sticks to your body. Whereas, silk doesn't absorb sweat nor does it stick to your body. Thus, silk helps to keep you cool in warm and humid weather.
Besides utmost comfort, silk bedding drapes well, bringing a luxurious touch to the bedroom and making it look like a five-star hotel. The benefits of silk are plentiful - it is a soft, smooth, and durable fabric. In addition, it is hypoallergenic, breathable, and temperature regulating.
Silk helps hair and skin retain moisture. Silk minimizes sleep creases and wrinkles. Silk sheets are breathable and regulate body temperature. Silk sheets are hypoallergenic.
However, the resulting fabric tends to be somewhat coarse and prone to wrinkling. Our guide to the best bamboo sheets highlights some of the best options available.
Bamboo is more breathable than silk.
With a bamboo pillowcase, you can keep that cool side of the pillow feeling all night long. Silk pillowcases have a tighter weave, which means they heat up more easily.
Satin feels cool to the touch, whereas silk warms up with body heat. For those who prefer to sleep on a cool surface, satin is the better choice. Satin is easy to launder and will look beautiful for years. Silk's thin, delicate fibers usually require hand washing and hanging to dry, and will degrade over time.
Silk pillowcases, like your other bed linens, come into direct contact with your skin every night, so it's important to wash them regularly — typically about every seven to ten days. To learn more about washing bed linens, check out this guide to washing and properly caring for bedding.
Wash your silk sheets with the same frequency as you would any other type of sheet or bedding or whenever it is dirty or stained. Silk is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to mold and dust mites, but still should be cleaned at regular intervals.
Silk pillowcases fight frizz by helping your hair retain moisture. Silk is also a friction-free material that allows your hair to glide and move freely over the pillowcase while you sleep. Meaning less snagging and damage which, as you've probably guessed, means less frizz.
The highest-quality silk is mulberry silk, which is made from silkworms who eat from the leaves of the mulberry tree. It's the most durable silk and also the softest, which makes it ideal for a high-traffic item like a pillowcase. There are grades within silk — A, B, and C scale, with A being the best quality.