Silk weight (momme)

The weight of the silk (momme) is decisive for the price.

There are many different price ranges of silk - and thank God for that. For many years, silk bedding and silk nightwear have primarily been a material that has been reserved for the most wealthy. Today, however, it is possible to find silk in different price ranges, so that everyone can join. However, it must be borne in mind that the best quality of silk will always lie in the upper price bracket.

Silk threads and silk

You get the highest quality and most expensive price within real mulberry silk if you buy one hundred percent cocoon silk. Cocoon silk is one of the best qualities within silk and has over 1,000 silk threads per centimeter. The number of silk threads is what defines the "MM" (weight) of the silk. As a rule of thumb, it is said that 1,000 silk threads per centimeter corresponds to 19 mm.

Weight? Mom? Is it the same?

When you refer to the quality of silk, many different technical terms are used. The most common term that you will come across is the word "momme". Momme is a Japanese term that is pronounced "moe-mie" and abbreviated as "mm". Momme refers to the weight (in pounds) of a piece of material.

The easiest way to explain what momme means to new silk enthusiasts is to present an analogy. Most people know that the quality of cotton sheets is measured by thread count. The higher the thread count, the better the quality, which results in a higher price.

In the same way, the quality of silk fabric is measured by mom weight. A high price equals a high quality. An increase in momme results in a heavier, stronger and more durable silk. Silk that is 17 mm or lower is considered light and is typically used for delicate, gently used items such as light blouses or summer scarves.

Our vision is not to create a silk product of too low a quality. Lightweight silk is cheaper, but will result in an inferior product. All silk products from Cillouettes are produced from silk that is 19 mm or higher. A higher momme means a tighter weave, which protects the luster that silk possesses and results in stronger durability.

For silk pillowcases, a momme weight of 16-18 is considered good quality. Silk cushion covers in the 19-22 mm range are of very high quality. A gauge 12 - or lower - will result in a pillow cover that is not very durable due to thin silk threads.

Different names for silk

And no – satin is not silk. Not even if they are used in the context of "silky satin". Satin is a synthetic art material, which is typically a mixture of polyester in particular.