Grade 6A and momme weight: reading a silk listing properly
4 min read
The two numbers that separate a silk pillowcase that lasts years from one that goes slack in a month.
Grades A to 6A
Silk grading measures filament length, uniformity and colour consistency. 6A is the longest and most even; lower grades use shorter, more variable filaments that pill and snag sooner.
The practical rule: if a listing does not state its grade, it is almost certainly not 6A. Brands that pay for the best fibre put it in the first line of the description.
Momme: silk's weight measure
Momme (mm) is the weight of a fixed length of fabric. For pillowcases, 19 to 22 momme is the useful range. Below 19 the fabric is thin enough that the pillow shows through and the seams give way early; above 25 you are paying for heft that does not sleep any better.
Putting the two together
Grade 6A at 19 to 22 momme is what a well-made silk pillowcase looks like on paper. A listing that publishes neither number is asking you to buy on the strength of a photograph.