There has been an increasing amount of press regarding silk sheets and bedding. It seems there is somewhat of a resurgence in the market with more and more retailers importing silk goods. So what is all the noise about? Are the retailers to be believed that silk sheets will change the way we sleep or is this just all hot air?

At first glance silk sheets seems fairly ordinary, the only major difference between them and their cotton counterparts seems to be price. The packaging looks fairly similar, as do the colours. Ivory, chocolate, maroon etc. This, as I was to find out is where the similarities begin and end.

Apparently there are several different verities of silk. Some are better for bedding than others. The main verities are wild silk, which is silk harvested from silk worms in the wild, Tussah silk which is usually silk from the east and has a deep tone to it and the “Rolls Royce" of silks, 100% mulberry silk. Mulberry silk has been specifically cultivated in controlled conditions. By doing this, the silk is of much higher quality than wild silks and the finished product is far superior in both finish and durability.

It is generally accepted that Mulberry silk bedding is the best silk available on the market today. Only mulberry silk can endure the constant use normal bedding has. Other silks such as Habotai silk are available but they lack the durability of mulberry silk. This is usually reflected in the price. Habotai silk has been known to seem softer than it’s mulberry silk counterpart. This is because the silk is often sand washed during the production process. Although this gives a soft feel to the silk, it further destroys the already limited durability of Habotai silk.

Many retailers are keen to point out the hypoallergenic properties of silk bedding and how sleeping on silk bedding helps allergy sufferers. This is mainly due to silk being an inhospitable environment to dust mites, which are a major cause of allergy related complications. In addition to the health benefits silk has the remarkable ability to keep us warm when it’s cool and cool when it’s warm. This is achieved by silk allowing our reflected body heat to dissipate and therefore help us maintain a stable temperature. Simple, but very effective and prefect for people who tend to overheat when using conventional bedding.

Other benefits of silk bedding include kindness to our skin, great durability and even an inherent safety feature! Because silk is a natural protein it is believed it is better for us to use as bedding than cotton. This is because the natural amino acids in silk are less likely to be harmful to our skin and can even help slow the ageing process! This has not been scientifically proven, but it’s worth a try even without the other benefits. Take a look at the silksleep collection of silk pillowcases at silksleep (dot) com for a few ideas. As for the built in safety feature, silk is apparently naturally fire retardant.

Considering the pros and cons of using silk sheets, I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons. The hypoallergenic qualities doubled with the durability makes silk sheets both a healthy and cost effective solution to our bedding needs. Next time you are out and about, take a few minutes and have a closer look at the silk bedding ranges now available. It may well change the way you sleep forever!