Types of Silk: Decoding the Difference

When SILKE London founder, Maria Sotiriou, embarked on a mission to figure out why she and her clients were experiencing unwanted, unnecessary breakage and damage, she grew frustrated. With over 37 years of hair industry experience, she struggled to pinpoint and eradicate it. 

The answer finally came to her one morning when she woke up and stared at her pillow to find it strewn with broken hair and split ends. She quickly realised that extreme damage happens when we are most unaware – in our sleep!

It was at this moment she embarked on a wild journey, testing every existing product and experimental method she could find to try and keep this nightly damage at bay. 

She even once went to bed with a pair of nylon stockings on her head and (spoiler alert) that didn’t do the trick…

HERITAGE-INSPIRED METHODS

It clicked when she drew inspiration from the time-tested traditional hair-wrapping methods of her Caribbean heritage to help her on her journey. Maria discovered that wrapping her hair at night, specifically in 100% mulberry silk, had incredible transformative results.

Of course, wrapping the hair nightly isn’t an innovation, but when Maria looked deeper into the haircare market, she found there were only very limited bonnet styles, typically in synthetic satin, for her to choose from.

When it comes to cocooning hair overnight, Maria wanted to be sure she was utilising the best fabric possible, maximising the time she was asleep to benefit her hair, as opposed to leaving it vulnerable to breakage. Opting for material that’s going to give to the hair, rather than take anything away; she really wanted the best results with very minimal effort - an ideology which now applies to each and every SILKE product we bring to the market.

Dissatisfied with the satin options she’d been testing; she went back to the drawing board. Maria already knew that silk had amazing benefits for the skin, so she questioned, why couldn’t it do the same for her hair?

100% SILK: THE DEEP DIVE

In comparison to synthetic satin, silk is completely smooth. It’s a 100% natural fibre which was created in China more than 5000 years ago. Amazingly, the process of making silk can be dated back to 6000 BC. As it’s a natural fabric, it’s great for all skin types, even for babies and those who have eczema, and is 100% biodegradable due to it not being man-made. 

Silk thread contains a special type of protein that’s removed during the processing of the silk called sericin. During this removal process, there’s a protein left behind in the material called fibroin, which is rich in 18 amino acids. So, when you wrap your hair in 100% silk or sleep on a silk pillowcase, your skin and hair benefit from the amino acids. Many luxury beauty and hair products extract this silk protein and add it to their products.

Unlike synthetic satin, silk is a breathable fabric and has a structure with a hollow centre which absorbs heat and can regulate depending on the temperature of your body - perfect for something that’s going to sit on your head overnight. Therefore, this keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making for a more comfortable, wearable experience in all temperatures throughout the year, and various climates across the globe. Celebrities such as Beyonce and Rihanna have even been spotted wearing hair wraps at the beach to protect their hair from the elements, and as they’re made from 100% silk, you’ll never have to worry about overheating! 

100% silk is non-absorbent, and while it naturally has one side that’s glossy and the other matte, both have the same have the same hair-enriching properties to keep hair hydrated and frizz-free overnight. Silk allows your lengths to nourish themselves, utilising the oils naturally produced at your scalp to hydrate your hair from root to tip. Usually, the oils would remain at the root and build up over time, causing greasy roots and dry ends. Thanks to the natural properties of silk, the oils can instead be evenly distributed throughout the hair shaft. This eliminates a greasy scalp and, instead, replaces it with hydrated ends, creating a perfectly balanced haircare ecosystem! Similarly to a synthetic satin option, a silk bonnet acts as a physical barrier. However, because it’s not an absorbent fabric, it keeps your hair hydrated and encourages your hair cuticles to lay flat, meaning no unwanted frizz or bedhead come morning. 

Whilst choosing haircare made from 100% silk may feel like a bigger financial investment, it truly is worth it when it comes to comparing the benefits for your hair. Good quality silk will also stand the test of time, which is important to consider. 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SILK

When Maria decided that there was no other option but silk for her Hair Wraps, she also realised that not all silk is made equal. She explains: 

“The difference in grades of silk is interesting. 22-momme Mulberry silk is known for its second-to-non-quality and is one of the highest-grade silks available. 22-momme relates to the weight of the fabric. The heavier and denser it is, the more durable and luxurious it is. 22-momme Mulberry has the longest fibres with superior evenness without lumps in the fibre and an unmatched softness, perfect for use in hair care. Though the fibres are the finest, they also are the strongest, making it the most durable silk. This was essential to me as I wanted to wear it nightly, and it needed to withstand friction as I moved my head around on the pillow. 

Grades below 22 momme will have impurities within the fibres, such as uneven and shorter fibres, which decreases durability. Less thread count and grade of silk cannot give the same results needed for the quality of haircare products I needed. The lower the quality of fibres, the less beneficial the silk will be to the hair. While there are many other products available that use these grades of silk, it wasn’t what I wanted or needed for the SILKE Hair Wraps. 

At SILKE London, we only use 22-momme mulberry silk because we only want to produce products that will give the best, quickest, and consistent results for the hair. To be able to achieve this, the silk needs to be durable, breathable, natural and luxurious. Only the best will do!”

Maria took extensive amounts of time to test each grade of silk and varied versions of the Hair Wrap until she arrived at the version you see on the SILKE London website today, but one thing became very clear during her process, she says:

“When we were making prototypes for our products, it became clear very early on that the highest grade 22 momme mulberry silk was outperforming the lower grades of silk every time. We tested prototypes over 12 months and saw how each grade of silk withstood the wear and tear of being used every day. We wanted the silk we chose to perform and give excellent results consistently over a prolonged period.” 

Maria and the SILKE London team are not only huge advocates for minimum effort and maximum results in choosing your haircare, but we also believe in making smart investments when it comes to your haircare. Less really is more when you have quality components making up your hair routine. Due to the durability of the high-quality silk, the Hair Wraps can stand the test of time, so ‘cost per wear’, the concept that if you wear and use an item a lot, the cost of it spreads and cancels itself out, couldn’t be more appropriate. 

Wear your Hair Wrap night after night and let us know how the power of silk changed your hair over on Instagram and TikTok, @silkelondon. 

Love, SILKE xo