FAQ

Real mulberry silk has a soft, shifting sheen rather than a uniform shine, and a smooth, slightly warm hand-feel rather than a slick or plasticky one. The label should state the grade and momme weight plainly — ours does: 100% Grade 6A mulberry silk, tested to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100. If a silk product doesn’t list a grade or momme count, that’s usually a sign it isn’t pure silk.

Momme measures the density and weight of silk fabric — the higher the number, the thicker and more durable the weave. Vesper NY uses 22-momme for garments and sleepwear and 25-momme for pillowcases, weights widely considered the sweet spot between softness and longevity. Lower momme counts can still be real silk, but they tend to feel thinner and wear out faster.

Mulberry silk comes from silkworms fed an exclusive diet of mulberry leaves, producing a finer, more uniform fiber than other silk types. “Satin” describes a weave, not a fiber — polyester satin is common and isn’t silk at all. Vesper NY uses 100% Grade 6A mulberry silk throughout, the highest commercial grade.

Silk’s smoother surface creates less friction against skin and hair than cotton, which many people find reduces tangling and overnight creasing. It won’t reverse existing wrinkles or treat a skin condition — no fabric can — but the reduced friction is a real, physical difference you can feel. Vesper NY’s pillowcases are 25-momme Grade 6A mulberry silk.

Hand washing in cold water with a gentle, pH-neutral detergent is the safest approach for silk, and many pieces can also go on a delicate machine cycle inside a mesh bag. Avoid wringing — press water out gently, then lay flat to dry. Always check the care label on your specific piece, since it takes priority over general guidance.

Yes — turn the garment inside out, use the lowest heat setting or your iron’s silk setting, and place a thin cloth between the iron and the fabric. Don’t spray water directly on silk, which can leave water marks; a light steamer held a few inches away is fine for releasing wrinkles. Patience protects the fabric’s natural sheen far better than rushing the process.

There’s no strict rule, but many people wash silk pajamas after every three to four wears and pillowcases roughly every one to two weeks — less frequent washing is gentler on the fibers than daily laundering. Rinsing promptly after any spill or heavy perspiration helps the silk last longer between washes.

Silk doesn’t stretch the way knit fabric does, so if you’re between two sizes, sizing up generally gives a more comfortable fit. We’d rather you measure against the size chart on each product page than guess from the size you wear in other fabrics — silk sizing can run differently brand to brand.

Vesper NY works directly with heritage textile ateliers in Türkiye — a named, direct-source supply chain rather than layers of unmarked intermediaries. That direct relationship is also how we can state the real grade and momme weight of our silk plainly, instead of leaving it vague.

Four ingredients: olive oil, laurel berry oil, water, and sea salt — nothing else. It’s cured for nine months in the tradition of a family-run atelier on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, the same slow process that’s been used for this kind of soap for centuries.

Shipping is carbon-neutral through EcoCart, and packaging is FSC-certified recycled material, with biodegradable tissue and paper tape instead of plastic. These are specific, verifiable choices rather than a general “eco-friendly” claim with nothing behind it.

Silk is a breathable natural fiber that many people find helps regulate temperature overnight — cooler than synthetic fabrics, though not as airy as lightweight cotton in very hot, humid conditions. Vesper NY’s 22-momme silk is woven to balance that breathability with real durability, not just thinned out for a cooling claim.

The core silk care rules are the same — cold water, gentle handling, no wringing — but a structured dress may have lining, boning, or embellishment that simple silk-garment instructions don’t cover. Always check the care label for your specific style. When in doubt, dry cleaning is the safer choice for anything beyond simple silk garments.

Silk is a smooth, natural protein fiber that doesn’t shed lint the way some fabrics do, and many people with sensitive skin find it more comfortable to sleep on. It isn’t a medical treatment for allergies or skin conditions — just a fiber with fewer of the irritants that can build up in other materials.