Silk sheets sound like the height of luxury, and in a hotel-suite sort of way they are. But before you spend hundreds on a silk sheet set, it is worth knowing what they are actually like to live with, and where the real, everyday benefits of silk come from. For most people in New Zealand, that turns out to be a silk duvet and pillowcase rather than sheets.
What are silk sheets?
Silk sheets are flat and fitted sheets woven from silk, the layer you lie directly on. They feel cool and smooth, and like all silk they are gentle on skin and hair. The catch is that they are only one part of the bed, and the most expensive and demanding part to own.
The honest downsides of silk sheets
- Expensive. A quality silk sheet set costs far more than a silk duvet or pillowcase, because there is so much fabric.
- Slippery. Silk sheets can slide around the bed and work loose overnight.
- Delicate. They need careful, gentle washing and snag easily.
- One benefit, big price. Sheets sit under you, so they do little for the temperature and allergy problems most people actually want silk to solve.
Where silk really earns its keep
The two silk benefits people notice most are temperature and allergies, and both come from the duvet, not the sheets. A silk duvet regulates your temperature all year, keeps dust mites away, and is machine washable at home. Add a silk pillowcase and you get the skin and hair benefit too, for a fraction of the price of a full sheet set. Put a silk duvet and pillowcase over your normal cotton sheets and you have most of what silk sheets promise, with far less hassle and cost.
Silk sheets are lovely but pricey, slippery and high-maintenance, and they do the least for temperature and allergies. A silk duvet and pillowcase give you the benefits that matter for far less.
Shop the all-seasons silk duvet
Silk sheets vs a silk duvet, at a glance
If you are choosing where to spend, here is the simple way to think about it:
- Want to sleep cooler and stop night sweats? A silk duvet, not sheets.
- Allergies or asthma? A silk duvet, which is naturally hypoallergenic.
- Better skin and hair? A silk pillowcase, the most affordable silk upgrade there is.
- Pure hotel-style indulgence and budget is no object? Then, and only then, add silk sheets.
Get the silk benefits that matter
Temperature control, hypoallergenic comfort and kinder skin and hair, without the upkeep of silk sheets.
The verdict
Silk sheets are a genuine luxury, but they are the expensive, high-maintenance way into silk, and they solve the least. Start with a silk duvet and a silk pillowcase. You will feel the difference in temperature, allergies, skin and hair, and you will actually enjoy owning them.
Frequently asked questions
Are silk sheets worth it? For most people, not really. A full silk sheet set is expensive, slippery and delicate, and sheets do the least for temperature and allergies. A silk duvet and pillowcase give you the benefits that matter for far less.
What is the difference between silk sheets and a silk duvet? Silk sheets are thin woven sheets you lie on. A silk duvet is filled with silk and sits over you. The duvet is what regulates your temperature and stays hypoallergenic all year, and ours is machine washable.
Are silk sheets hard to look after? Yes. They need gentle, careful washing and can slip around the bed. Our silk duvets and pillowcases are lower maintenance and machine washable at home.
The smarter way into silk
An all-seasons silk duvet: temperature-regulating, hypoallergenic and machine washable at home.
Shop silk duvetsWant the wider view on silk? Read our guide to why silk bedding.