A woman on a hotel bed looks down at a Gold silk pillowcase she holds upright, its embroidered S monogram and SILUXE wordmark in front

5 silk myths, and what’s true

The short answer

Silk is not dry-clean only: the care label allows a hand wash or a delicate machine cycle. It is not too fragile for every day, as long as it is handled gently when wet and dried out of the sun. It is not the same as satin, which is a weave. And it is not too hot: ours is temperature-regulating silk, comfortable in every season.

Silk has a reputation: beautiful, a little precious, best left in a drawer for a special night. Most of what people believe about it comes from evening dresses, not from a pillowcase you sleep on every night. Here are five of those beliefs, and what is true.

Myth 1: “Silk is too hot to sleep on”

What we say about our silk is short: temperature-regulating silk, comfortable in every season. A pillowcase does not set the warmth of a room, though; the heating, the window and the duvet do. If you often feel too hot at night, start there, with our eight fixes for a cooler bedroom.

Myth 2: “Silk is dry-clean only”

Not ours. The care label reads: hand wash, or machine wash at 30 °C on a delicate cycle, inside out in a mesh bag, with a pH-neutral silk detergent and no bleach or fabric softener. Dry flat, out of direct sun, never in the tumble dryer.

Dry cleaning is allowed too, and Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that silk is not harmed by common dry-cleaning solvents. It is an option, not an obligation.

Myth 3: “Silk is too fragile for every day”

Silk is a strong fibre: Britannica describes it as having good strength. What it does not like is rough handling when wet, since it is weaker while wet, and long exposure to sunlight, which breaks it down.

So the care is simple: no wringing, no tumble dryer, a gentle press in a towel and a flat dry in the shade. That is all a silk pillowcase asks for.

Myth 4: “Silk is for special occasions”

A dress is worn a few times a year. A pillowcase is used every night, and that is where silk makes its case: hair glides over silk instead of rubbing, so blowouts last and mornings start with fewer tangles. It belongs to an ordinary Tuesday as much as to a hotel weekend.

Myth 5: “Satin is the same thing”

Satin is a weave, not a fibre. It can be woven from silk or from polyester, and both shine. Silk satin is silk fibre in a satin weave; polyester satin is a synthetic fibre in the same weave. The sewn label tells you which one you have. Our guide to silk or satin shows how to read it.

Where Siluxe fits

The Siluxe silk pillowcase is 100% mulberry silk, 22 momme, Grade 6A, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, certificate 26.HCN.36686, tested for harmful substances, and designed in Paris, with an envelope closure and an embroidered S monogram, at 84 €. See the pillowcase. Complimentary delivery from $100 on USD orders: the pillowcase with a scrunchie M qualifies.

FAQ

Can silk go in the washing machine?

Ours can: at 30 °C on a delicate cycle, inside out in a mesh bag, with a pH-neutral silk detergent and no bleach or fabric softener. Hand washing works too. Dry it flat, out of direct sun, and never in a tumble dryer.

Is silk really fragile?

Less than its reputation. Silk is a strong fibre, but it is weaker while wet and does not like long exposure to sunlight. Handle it gently in the wash, press it in a towel instead of wringing it, and dry it in the shade.

Is satin the same as silk?

No. Satin is a weave and silk is a fibre: a satin can be silk or polyester. Look for “100% silk” or “100% mulberry silk” on the sewn label to know which one you are buying.

Sources

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