Material Education
Momme is how silk is weighed.
Here's why that matters.
Momme (pronounced "mummy") measures the weight of silk per unit area — similar to thread count for cotton, but more directly tied to how the fabric feels, drapes, and holds up over time.
A higher momme means more silk per square meter. More silk means more substance — which changes how it moves against your body, how it handles heat, and how long it keeps its shape after washing.
What changes when the weight changes.
16 momme
Light
The kind of silk most people try first. Smooth and cool at first touch — but lighter fabric is more likely to cling as heat builds, and more likely to thin out after repeated washing. Works well for a pillowcase. Less ideal for something you sleep in all night.
19 momme
Standard
The industry default for silk sleepwear. More body than 16, and it holds up longer. For many people it works well. Where it can fall short is sustained heat — the fabric is more prone to sticking as you warm up through the night. It also creases easily — often needing a low-heat iron before wear. A good starting point, but not where silk performs its best under pressure.
22 momme
The balance point
Enough weight that the silk is less likely to cling or shift as heat builds. The coolness is still there. The smoothness is still there. But the fabric has more presence — it moves with you rather than collapsing against you. And after repeated washing, it holds its drape and shape in ways thinner silk typically doesn't.
Wash Test Evidence
Built to be washed.
22 momme weight matters. So does a fiber-level treatment applied at the mill — a protective coating on each silk thread, which is why this silk holds up to repeated machine washing without surface damage or shape loss.
Color holds. Luster lasts.
The treatment strengthens color fastness and protects the surface that gives silk its sheen — so the fabric doesn’t fade or dull the way untreated silk does after repeated washing.
Wash-resistant silk
After 10 wash cycles
Untreated silk
After 10 wash cycles
No wrinkle. No warp.
After the same wash program, treated silk holds its shape — fiber structure stays intact, so the fabric doesn’t deform.
Wash-resistant silk
After 10 wash cycles
Untreated silk
After 10 wash cycles
Resists fading
& pilling
Holds shape
& color
Maintains
luster
Durable
& easy care
SGS-certified through 30 machine wash cycles on the wash-resistant silk we source.
Thirty washes. Still drapes the way it did on day one.
How it compares to what you're probably wearing now.
Cotton absorbs moisture — which sounds good until it doesn't let go. By 3 AM, cotton holds that moisture against your skin, getting heavier and colder. Silk doesn't absorb the same way. It moves moisture along the surface and releases it faster, so the fabric stays drier against you.
Bamboo handles moisture better than cotton and has genuine cooling properties. Where it differs from silk is surface feel — bamboo fibers are matte and slightly textured, while silk's protein structure is naturally smoother with less friction against skin. If you've tried bamboo and liked the cooling but wanted something that moves more smoothly against you, that's the difference.
Thinner silk (16-19 momme) starts cool and smooth, but as your body temperature rises through the night, lighter fabric is more prone to clinging and bunching. By morning, it's more likely to look like it's been through more than one night.
22 momme silk keeps the breathability and smoothness of silk while adding enough weight to stay more stable. Less cling. Less bunching. The fabric holds its composure because there's enough of it to do so.
Why not heavier?
25 and 30 momme silk exists. It's denser, more structured, and significantly more expensive. The extra weight adds body that works well for tailored garments and outerwear — but for sleepwear, where breathability and ease of movement matter most, it's more fabric than the job requires.
At 22 momme, the silk is heavy enough to stay composed but not so heavy that you feel it working against you. Durability without stiffness. Presence without unnecessary weight. For sleepwear, this is where the balance sits.
That's where we started — and where our first collection begins.
Now you know what's against your skin — and why the weight matters. Every Silxine set is made with 22 momme Grade 6A Mulberry Silk, machine washable, and built for hotter nights.