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by Zoe Doyle
January 20, 2025
7 min read

This article answers the question of whether silk needs to be shiny to be real. (It does not). The silk experts at Mulberry Park Silks take a deep dive into what real silk actually is; describe the various weaves of silk; and discuss why charmeuse weave silk is perfect for our luxury sheets, pillowcases, bedding, and accessories.

Inside this Article:

Silk: Driving Trade and Exploration for Thousands of Years
What is Real Silk?
Weaves of Silk: Worlds of Texture and Beauty
Charmeuse Weave: Perfect for Luxury Bedding
Real Silk vs. Polyester Satin: Understanding the Difference
Put Your Luxury Silk Bed Together with Mulberry Park Silks

Two people look at various fabric swatches

From Charmeuse to Chiffon: A Guide to Silk Textures and Weaves

Here at Mulberry Park Silks, we love answering questions about our products and silk in general. Typically, we drop an email or make a phone call to respond. But on occasion, we field a question that merits a more detailed explanation. Recently, several of our clients have asked about the appearance of silk fabric: specifically, they want to know if real silk is shiny on both sides. The short answer is, "no." But the longer answer delivers some fascinating insights about silk production, weaving techniques, and why different types of silk have such distinct characteristics.

Silk: Driving Trade and Exploration for Thousands of Years

Let's begin with a bit of silk history. This remarkable textile was discovered more than 4,000 years ago in ancient China. China began to trade silk outside of Asia as early as 1000. BC. Eventually, a trade route known as the Silk Road opened up to facilitate the trading of silk cloth. The Silk Road also opened paths for exploration from Europe to the East, most notably the Italian explorer Marco Polo who traveled the route to reach Mongolia in the 13th century.

At that time, the secrets of silk production -- known as sericulture, or silk farming -- were exclusive to the Chinese and passed through generations. By the 15th century, silk textiles and silk clothes were so valued in Europe that production spread to France and Italy, which were leading manufacturers of silk for several centuries. Today, the silk industry is centered in Asia, with China producing the largest share of silk products in the marketplace.

What is Real Silk?

In our modern era, genuine silk remains a luxury fiber with a singular pedigree. Pure mulberry silk begins with the Bombyx mori silkworm, which feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves. These specialized silkworms produce cocoons from which a single thread can extend up to 1,000 meters in length. Silk thread and fabric is woven from this natural protein fiber, which is graded for length, strength, and softness.

At Mulberry Park Silks, we use only Grade 6A mulberry silk, the highest quality available. This premium silk fabric is characterized by its exceptional smoothness, durability, and natural sheen. The quality of silk is measured in momme weight, which is an indicator of the density of the silk fabric as well as the length of the fibers. Our luxury bedding ranges from 19 to 30 momme, with our most popular 22 momme weight offering the perfect balance of durability and softness.

Weaves of Silk: Worlds of Texture and Beauty

One of the most fascinating aspects of silk fabric is how different weaving techniques create entirely distinct textures and appearances. While many people associate silk with a lustrous shine, not all silk weaves are shiny - in fact, some have no shine at all. Here is an overview of some of the most widely used silk weaves:

Silk Weave	Description	Used For
Charmeuse	Lustrous front and matte back (a type of satin weave)	Silk bedding and lingerie
Dupioni	Textured silk made from double cocoon fibers, creating a crisp fabric with characteristic slubs and lustrous sheen	Formal wear, wedding gowns, drapery
Habotai	Versatile plain weave with lightweight softness and subtle sheen	Garment linings, scarves
Velvet	A cut-pile silk with deep, rich texture and sophisticated sheen, prized for its color depth	Evening wear, upholstery
Satin	Features a smooth, glossy surface achieved by floating yarns over several threads	Gowns, bridal
Twill	Distinguished by its diagonal weave pattern, creating a durable fabric with excellent drape	Suiting, neckties
Noil	Made from shorter silk fibers with a matte, cotton-like texture and superior breathability	Casual wear, summer clothing
Gauze	A delicate, sheer weave with a floaty, matte appearance	Summer scarves, veils
Crepe de Chine	Slightly crinkled texture, subtle sheen	Blouses, dresses
Chiffon	A lightweight, transparent weave with minimal shine	Evening wear, overlays
Taffeta	A crisp weave known for its subtle sheen and characteristic rustle	Ball gowns, petticoats
Shantung	Features a textured surface with subtle slubs and minimal shine	Structured dresses, jackets
Jacquard	Complex patterns woven directly into the fabric with varying degrees of luster	Brocade clothing, furnishings

Charmeuse Weave: Perfect for Luxury Bedding

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At Mulberry Park Silks, we've chosen a charmeuse weave for our sheets, pillowcases, and accessories because it offers the perfect combination of beauty and functionality. The unique structure of charmeuse creates a sheet set with two distinct sides: a smooth, luminous front and a soft, matte reverse. This makes charmeuse weave material ideal for silk bed sheets:

Exceptionally gentle on hair and skin, preventing tangles and sleep wrinkles.
A breathable natural fiber that is temperature-regulating for year-round comfort.
Hypoallergenic , resistant to dust mites, and good for sensitive skin.
Protein-rich to help retain skin's natural moisture.
Durable enough for regular use while maintaining its luxurious feel/

Real Silk vs. Polyester Satin: Understanding the Difference

With the growing popularity of silk bedding, we've noticed some confusion about the terms "silk" and "satin." Let's clarify: satin refers to a weaving technique, not a fiber type. While genuine silk can be woven in a satin pattern (as in our charmeuse weave), not all satin-weave fabrics are silk. Many retailers capitalize on this confusion to sell synthetic fiber satin products that may look similar but lack the beneficial properties of pure silk:

Here's how to tell the difference between genuine silk and synthetic satin :

Appearance: Real silk has a subtle, sophisticated luster, while synthetic satin typically has a bright, artificial-looking shine.

Labeling: Genuine silk will always list its momme weight; synthetic satin won't have this measurement.

Price point: If a "silk" pillowcase costs less than twenty dollars, it's likely not genuine silk, but rather petroleum-based synthetic materials like rayon or polyester.

Feel: Pure silk has a cool, smooth feel against your skin, while synthetic satin sheets will feel slippery or plasticky.

Product Description: Reputable companies like Mulberry Park Silks will clearly state that their products are 100% pure mulberry silk and the momme weight will be listed.

Why does this matter? Only 100 percent mulberry silk offers the natural benefits we've discussed above. Synthetic satin, made from petroleum-based materials like polyester or nylon, lacks the protein structure and natural properties that make silk beneficial for your hair, skin, and overall wellness. While these alternatives might look similar at first glance, they don't provide the temperature regulation, moisture retention, or gentle friction reduction that genuine silk does.

Put Your Luxury Silk Bed Together with Mulberry Park Silks

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Mulberry Park Silks is committed to delivering the very best in style and value for your silk dollar. As we noted, all of our silk products are made from 100% pure mulberry silk that is Grade 6A. We offer silk bed sheets a variety of momme weights to choose from:

19 momme: Our lightest weight that offers high quality and beautiful benefits at an introductory price. Perfect for anyone new to silk.
22 momme: Our most versatile and popular weave, providing the ideal balance of beauty and luxury. (Our duvet cover is 22 momme).
30 momme: Our heaviest weight and most luxurious bed sheet offering.

For comparison, lighter silk fabrics like gauze typically measure 3-5 momme, while silk chiffon ranges from 6-8 momme, and crepe de Chine measures between 12-16 momme. The higher momme count in our bedding indicates both greater silk fiber density and the use of heavier silk fibers, resulting in more durable, luxurious products.

Our silk bed sheets are sold in sets, with a silk fitted sheet, silk flat sheet, and silk pillowcases. You can also purchase these items individually to customize your bed. For example, some of our clients prefer to forgo silk flat sheets and instead sleep with a silk duvet cover directly over silk fitted sheets.

We hope this blog has delivered useful information about the various types of genuine silk and what those weaves are used for. At Mulberry Park Silks, we pride ourselves on transparency and delivering the highest quality silk in the marketplace. As always, we are here to answer questions and make personal recommendations to help you get the very best value for your silk dollar.

Mulberry Park: Accessible and Affordable Luxury Silk

We founded Mulberry Park with one simple mission: to design the highest quality silk items in the market and offer them at an affordable price. And we've done just that, with a full range of silk products made from 100% pure mulberry long strand silk fabric. The silk fabric used for our silk sheets and silk pillowcases has also been OEKO-TEX® Certified (Standard 100) to be free of chemicals.

Visit us online or call us at (800) 860-1924 to learn more about our silk sheets, silk pillowcases, duvet covers and shams, and real silk accessories including sleep masks, travel pillows, and silk hair scrunchies.