What is Momme in silk fabric & What is thread count

What is Momme in silk fabric ?

Mommes (mm), is a unit traditionally used to measure the quality of silk fabrics. One momme = 4.340 grams per square meter; 8 mommes is approximately 1 ounce per square yard or 35 grams per square meter.
The usual range of momme weight for different weaves of silk are:

Gauze—3 to 5 mm
Organza—4 to 6 mm
Habotai—12 to 16 mm
Chiffon—6 to 8 mm (can be made in double thickness, i.e. 12 to 16 mm)
Crepe de Chine—12 to 16 mm
Raw silk—35 to 40 mm (heavier silks appear more ‘wooly’)
Charmeuse—12 to 30 mm

The higher momme weight the better?

Yes and no. It depends. Normally, the higher the momme weight, the more durable the weave, the more luxurious the fabric is, the more suitable it is for heavy-duty use, and the longer the shelf-life. Generally, all silks can be washed and the heavier ones can be washed repeatedly. The heavier the silk, the more opaque it becomes. This can vary even between the same kind of silk. For example, lightweight Charmeuse is translucent when used in clothing, but 30-momme charmeuse is opaque. Therefore, it does not mean that you must always buy silk products with higher momme weight. For instance, it would be too heavy to put on 25mm silk sleepwear for the night, but 19mm silk sleepwear is not that durable, though. In a word, it is a question of making proper choices according to your own needs.

What is the best momme weight of silk bedding ?

For bedding, the higher the weight in momme, the better the silk bedding is. Sheets between 19-25 momme are considered ideal. silk with momme weight lower than 19 are not suitable for the production of quality silk bedding linen. Beware of sellers trying to trick you into buying inferior quality sheets without declaring the momme weight. Always ask for this measurement before you buy.

Here at Lilysilk, we offer 3 different momme weight classes. Starting from the entry-level 19 momme, Lilysilk also offers intermediate 22 momme and luxury 25 momme weight classes for your choosing.

What is thread count?

Thread count or threads per inch (TPI) is a measure of the coarseness or fineness of certain fabrics, most notably cotton. While it is not the definitive measurement of the quality of silk fabrics, it is good for reference when you purchase silk online. It is measured by counting the number of threads contained in one square inch of fabric or one square centimeter, including both the length (warp) and width (weft) threads. The thread count is the number of threads counted along two sides (up and across) of the square inch, added together.

What are the thread counts of Freedomsilk’s bedding sets ?

Thread-count is not as important in silk products as it is for cotton, as in silk threads can vary greatly in terms of diameter and length. However, it is still something that should be noted when purchasing silk. For silk products with same momme weight, the one with higher thread count is usually considered to be better. Normally, the 19mm silk has a thread count of 300-350, Freedomsilk’s 19mm silk usually has a minimum thread-count of 400 which is already what some would refer to as “luxury”, our 22mm has a thread-count of 600 and our 25mm silk an even higher 750 which is why we insist that our products is truly the best on the market.

Handmade vs Machine Comforters

Generally speaking, handmade silk floss filling is superior to machine-made fillings because:

– Material:

Due to the delicate nature of silk fibers, high-end silk floss is usually treated by experienced silk workers who know how to preserve the long stranded fibers, as machines are capable of breaking the fibers with ease should the process go wrong at any point. Thus, a handmade comforter usually implies the quality of the silk used is higher so the manufacturer is willing to spend more to hire experienced workers in order to minimize the risks of damaging the silk in the process of manufacturing.

– Human Touch:

Even if the manufacturing process is carried out exactly as instructed, machines simply lack the subtlety of human hands. There is nothing that knows better about human comfort than humans themselves, and for something you sleep with every night, comfort is most certainly the first and foremost point of concern.

Handmade Comforters

– Filled using long fiber Mulberry silk, layered in a grid pattern.

– Tacked, not boxed stitched. Tacking the silk down eliminates cold spots and the damage box stitching causes to the silk fiber.

– Less airborne fibers because only long fiber silk is used.

– No lumps caused by silk filling clumping up.

Machine-made Comforters

– Silk fiber stuffed, not layered into a casing.

– Box stitched. Box stitching damages the silk fiber and creates cold spots throughout the comforter, undermining a silk comforter’s heat regulating ability.

– Short fiber silk or a silk mix is used instead of long fibre silk. Short fibet silk shards can become airborne and cause irritations to allergy sufferers. Short fiber fillings are also less effective at heat insulation and regulation.