Introduction
When it comes to setting up our bedrooms, we all want the best items. We want to maximize value for money and quality without sacrificing comfort. One popular style of bedding is . Silk is an expensive fabric due to its limited availability and costly production. However, its many benefits make it a worthwhile purchase. In today’s article, we’re going to breakdown the key benefits of getting , and then review four of the best sheets on the market to help you find the perfect for you!
How is Made?
While a variety of insects are used to produce today, the most common one is the larvae of Bombyx mori – the caterpillar of the domestic -moth.
Sericulture
The first step of -making is sericulture, which refers to the process of gathering the silkworms and harvesting the cocoon to collect materials. Female -moths lay anywhere between 300 – 500 eggs at a time, which are incubated until they grow up to hatch into larvae. These silkworms continue to feed on large amounts of mulberry leaves to foster growth. It takes roughly six weeks for them to grow to their largest size which is around three inches. This is when they will stop eating, indicating that the silkworms are ready to start spinning their cocoon. Attached to a secure tree or other frame, the silkworm will begin spinning its cocoon by rotating its body in a figure-eight motion around 300,000 times. This process takes between 3 – 8 days, and produces a single strand of that is roughly 100 meters in length. It is held together by a natural gum called sericin, which allows the adhesion of filaments to maintain the “structural integrity of the cocoon” during its formation.
Thread Extraction
The next step is called thread extraction. Once the cocoon has formed, the silkworm will enclose itself inside it, meaning it is time to extract the threads. The cocoons are then placed into boiling water to promote the softening and dissolving of the sericin that is holding the cocoon together. This is a critical step in the making process because it ensures that there is no damage to the continuity of each thread. Then, each thread is carefully pulled from the cocoon in long, individual threads. They are then wound on a reel. Some of the sericin may remain on the , but this is typically washed out with soap and boiling water.
Dyeing
After the threads have been washed and de-gummed, they are bleached and dried so that the dyeing process can begin. Traditional methods are used to utilize natural dyes found in the surrounding environment, such as indigo leaves or fruits. The threads are then soaked in a pot of hot indigo leaves and water for several days to ensure proper color tone and quality. However, since the rise of commercial enterprises, the production process uses acid dyes and reactive dyes to achieve a greater range of colors. The commercial process is still similar to the traditional one, as the threads are also placed in a hot dye bath to soak up the color.
Spinning
The spinning process essentially unwinds the dyed fibers onto a bobbin so that they are ready for the next step: weaving. The traditional spinning wheel has always been a central component of the production process. Even with the rise of industrial processes, the concept of the classic spinning wheel is still implemented today.
Weaving
This is the step in which the final piece of really comes together. Weaving involves interlocking two sets of threads so that they lace around each other, creating a strong, uniform piece of fabric. The threads are woven at right angles relative to each other, and each angle is called a warp and a heft. The warp goes vertically on the fabric, while the heft goes horizontally across it.
Printing
Sometimes, the resulting requires a special pattern or design to be illustrated upon it. In those cases, there are two routes to achieving that design: digital printing and screen printing. Digital printing involves using a specially made printer that transfers hand drawn or digitally rendered designs onto the via ink. Screen printing is the more traditional method that involves a hands-on approach to achieve the same result.
Finishing
The final step in the production process is finishing, which gives the fabric its luxurious feel and lustrous look. Finishing is usually done by adding a variety of chemical treatments to the , which can give it many valuable properties (such as fire-proof or crease-proof).
vs.
Before we begin exploring the world of , let’s take a moment to understand the difference between a and a . While the two fabrics are often confused for one other, there are key distinguishing qualities of each. First, is a weave and not a natural fiber, while is a natural fiber. The second difference between the two is that is much cheaper to produce than . Third, can be made from a variety of natural and synthetic fibers, such as , , nylon, polyester, rayon, acetate, or viscose. Sil, on the other hand, is purely made from natural silkworms. Lastly, is shiny on both sides, while has one glossy side and one dull side.
Benefit #1: Natural and Organic Make-up
The first key benefit that offers to your sleeping experience is a completely natural and organic composition. This is unlike , down, feather, or synthetic bedding, which may contain “harsh chemicals that could irritate the or respiratory system.” The all-natural quality of sheets guarantees safe and healthy bed sheets for your room. The comes from a natural source – silkworms. If you’re someone who is conscious about your health and making sure no chemicals reach your body, then might be the top choice for you.
Benefit #2: Breathable Material
The next key benefit of is that it is an exceptionally breathable fabric. This is due to “how thin its threads are.” This means that your quite literally “prevents overheating.” When you on traditional bedding, such as a or , your body heat and sweat are trapped under the cover with you. This can lead to an uncomfortable night of , full of irritating sweat and moisture that keeps waking you up. You certainly won’t wake up refreshed and rested. effectively vents away this moisture and sweat. In fact, is approximately twice as efficient at wicking away heat and moisture than , meaning your bed is 50% less humid.
If you are someone who lives in a hot climate, or someone who is prone to sweating excessively throughout the night, then sheets might be for you. Conversely, ‘s breathability also makes it “a good insulator.” So if you live in a particularly cool climate, these sheets will still be just as effective for your sleeping experience.
Benefit #3: Good For Allergies
Another foundational advantage of getting for your bedroom is that they are a “solid choice for people with allergies.” Because a silkworm spins fibers in a cocoon, the is naturally designed to keep the worm safe from predators like . These allergens can enter your respiratory system while you , causing you to wake up irritated in the middle of the night. and will also prevent “mildew and mold” from cultivating in your bedroom.
If you are someone who has suffers from common allergies, it might be best for you to buy .
Benefit #4: Is Long Lasting
The final key benefit of fitting your with is that they will last a long time. We all want value for our money, and no one wants to buy a new set of sheets every year. We want something that will last us decades — and will. The threads, “combined with ‘s natural desire to bond to itself,” means that a mulberry park is durable and “can easily last 15-20 years.”
This is one of the most favorable qualities of the , as it saves you both time and money in the long run.
Con: Expensive
The primary downside of getting a is that it is one of the most expensive fabrics. The experts at Mulberry Park gave a five-fold answer as to why is some of the most expensive fitted sheets around. They use the acronym CHARMS to explain ‘s expensive price point:
- Charmeuse weave is one of the softest and most comfortable styles of weaving , contributing to its high price (CH).
- Grade 6A is the highest quality available (A).
- Real 100 percent (R).
- 30, 22, or weight (M).
- Safe for people and the environment as certified by Oeko-Tex (S).
Now that you have taken some time to understand ‘s production process, and its advantages and disadvantages, let’s move on to our main goal: finding . We’re going to review four of the available on the market today. We’ll compare features, reviews, and key attributes of each to determine which one is the top dog.
Contender #1: Lanest Housing Sheets, 3-Piece Set
The first we have for you is the Lanest Housing Sheets. They are available in most common bed sizes, such as twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king. Lanest Housing uses a high-quality fabric that has a 400 thread count, claiming that it is more durable and long lasting than . They also offer great flexibility in color, which is an important factor for many people who want to be creative when decorating their room. The colors are taupe, black, gray, ivory white, light gray, navy blue, pink, and scarlet red. Each of these colors is also available in a striped variation, except the scarlet red, making for 13 unique color options.
Their is also friendly to your hair and , preventing breakage throughout the night and reducing facial and neck wrinkles. The soft and cooling feel of the will help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep longer. These sheets are also machine washable in cold water, and can be tumble dried on low; this makes them easy to clean and care for in the long run. Like bedding, Lanest Housing Sheets are also made in a Oeko-Tex certified factory. Products with this certification have been tested and proven free of harmful levels of toxic substances.
This was rated 4.4 for softness, 4.3 for comfort, 4.1 for value for money, and 3.6 for wrinkle-free. However, the material that was truly used in this is 100% woven polyester. So while they may give off the same feel as , they may not carry all the same benefits.
Contender #2: Mk Collection Pocket Sheets
The next contender for is Mk Collection Pocket Sheets. Like our last contender, this is also made of 100% polyester, but is woven to mimic the style and feel of and . This means that it is unlikely to bring you the same level of breathability or insulation that provide. One big positive about the Mk Collection Pocket Sheets is that it does come in 24 color options, 11 more than Lanest Housing. It is also available in most common bed sizes, such as twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king. You also have the choice to get just pillowcases in any of the above sizes.
On Amazon, these sheets are rated 4.1 stars in softness, 4.0 stars in wrinkle-free, 3.9 stars in comfort, and 3.7 stars in value for money. That gives this an average rating of 3.93 stars overall. However, according to Sleepline, a third-party product review company, this is not worth the hype. It’s slippery, becomes rough after several washes, the seams come undone easily, and has frequent size problems. It’s unlikely that this is when it has so many issues.
Contender #3: Lanest Housing Sheets, 4-Piece Set
The third contending brand for on the market is another one by Lanest Housing, but this time, a four piece set. This boasts many of the same features that Lanest’s three piece set has, such as a 400 thread count, six common sizes, 13 different colors (striped and solids), and hair and protection. These Lanest Housing sheets are also machine washable in cold water, and can be tumble dried on low.
On Amazon, these sheets are rated 4.4 stars in softness, 3.6 stars in wrinkle-free, 4.3 stars in comfort, and 4.1 stars in value for money. That gives this an average rating of 4.1 stars overall.
Contender #4: Decolure Silky
The final contender is Decolure’s Silky , which is available in four common sizes, twin, full, queen, and king. It is not available in twin XL and California king, unlike the other three brands we have reviewed thus far. It also comes in eight different color options, which are gray, black, blue, gold, pink, purple, red, and white. This range of colors is not as diverse as any of the other three contenders, which offered 13, 24, and 13 color options respectively. The four piece set comes with a , a top , and pillowcases (one for twin, two for queen and king). This makes it convenient as the consumer doesn’t have to buy top sheets and pillowcases that match colors separately.
The Decolure Silky is rated 4.6 stars in softness, 4.5 stars in comfort, 4.3 stars in value for money, and 4.2 stars in wrinkle-free. That gives this an average rating of 4.4 stars overall, the highest rating yet!
Conclusion
Based on our analysis, the Decolure Silky was rated the highest overall after being gauged in four key categories. However, it lacks a variety in size and color options, which lowers its overall value in our eyes. We liked the Lanest Housing four-piece because it offered different pattern styles, size options, and a silky smooth feel. Plus, it only ranked 0.3 stars below the Decolure .
We hope this article gave you valuable insight into ‘s production, its benefits and disadvantages, as well as top competing brands on the market. Remember, it takes time and effort to find the perfect sheets for you!
