There are literally hundreds of silk varieties of silk. A few have been listed on this page to help you identify which ones are good for bedding and which are not.
Charmeuse Silk
Possibly the most common silk, and definitely the best silk for bedding. Charmeuse silk has a shine to it along with a soft, flowing feel. Charmeuse silk is also used in high quality pyjamas and sometimes used in dresses and shirts.
Habutai
Habutai is the Japanese word for “downy and soft”. Habutai silk is used widely in silk bedding and in and for the large part is very good. It is definitely a rung down from Charmeuse silk, but if you can find a momme number of 19 it’s worth considering. warning on Habutai silk is some suppliers sand was the silk to make it even softer. This greatly reduces the durability of the linen. For this reason we do not recommend sand washed silks at all.
Dupioni Silk
Dupioni silk is a great silk that is made from two cocoons that have interwoven. When looking at the finished product the Dupioni silk can change colour and hues in the changing light. Dupioni silk is great for dying and has a slightly raised feel. Dupoini silk is more suited to clothing than bedding.
Wilk Silk
Wild silk is literally silk that has been harvested from the wild. The silk is of lesser quality and the cocoon cannot be unravelled in one continuous filament. This is because wild silk worms eat whatever is available to them and not premium mulberry leaves. Wild silk is often spun into garments, ties and linings. There is an ethical question about harvesting silk from the wild. Although the moth has continued it’s life cycle harvesting silk from the wild is seriously damaging the populations of wild silk worms to the brink of extension.