Printed or solid silk pillowcase: which one should you buy?

Here is the shortest possible version of this guide. If you care most about how the pillowcase looks, buy printed. If you care most about how it feels, buy solid. Almost everything else follows from that.

The reason is structural, not aesthetic. The printed range exists as one fixed specification in 23 designs. The solid range exists as nine products spanning four silk weights, two closures and four sizes. They are answering two different questions.

The printed range: one spec, 23 designs

Every printed silk pillowcase in the collection is identical apart from the artwork:

  • 20 x 30 in (51 x 76 cm) — the queen size
  • Hidden zipper closure
  • Double-sided printed, so the design and the silk are the same on both faces
  • $54

That uniformity is the point. You are choosing a picture, not a specification. The designs run from tight florals like Ditsy Sprig and Petal Pink Ditsy, through painterly botanicals such as Ink Magnolia, to bolder decorative work like Navy Chintz and Cobalt Tropics.

Because every printed case shares one size and one price, a set of two mismatched designs costs exactly the same as a matching pair. That is a genuinely useful property if you have ever tried to buy two of something and found the second colour out of stock.

The solid range: four weights, two closures, four sizes

Solid pillowcases are where the specification actually varies, and the variable that matters most is momme.

What momme changes

Momme is the weight measure for silk. A higher number means more silk per square inch: denser fabric, more body, a heavier drape, and more cost. The solid range spans a wide spread:

Matte or glossy at 22 momme

These are the same silk at the same weight and, as of now, the same price. The difference is the surface finish: glossy reflects more light and reads as more luxurious in a photograph; matte is flatter and quieter in a real bedroom. Neither is more durable. Pick by what you want to look at.

Zipper or envelope

A hidden zipper holds the pillow firmly and will not work loose overnight. An envelope closure uses an inner flap instead, so there is no hardware in the case at all — worth considering if you are sensitive to anything firm near your face, or if you simply prefer fewer components to fail. Both keep the sleeping surface smooth.

Sizes and colours

Solid cases come in 20 x 26 in (standard), 20 x 30 in (queen) and 20 x 36 in (king), and the 16 momme envelope style adds a 26 x 26 in square. Colour choice is much wider than the printed range: the 16 momme styles carry around twenty colourways.

So which one?

Buy printed if…

You want the bed to look like something. You have a queen pillow. You are buying a gift and want it to land visually. You like the idea of two different designs on the same bed.

Buy solid if…

You want to choose your silk weight. You need a standard or king size. You want an envelope closure. You want to match existing bedding rather than compete with it. You are buying for someone who will notice 22 momme against 16.

A reasonable compromise

Plenty of people run one of each: a solid case at a heavier momme on the pillow they actually sleep on, and a printed one on the decorative pillow in front of it. It is the cheapest way to get both the feel and the look.

Common questions

Is the printed silk lower quality than the solid silk?

No. Both ranges are 100% mulberry silk. The printed cases are a fixed specification rather than a lower one — the design is what varies, not the fibre.

Why is there only one size in the printed range?

Printed designs are engineered to the panel they are printed on. Offering the same artwork across three cut sizes would mean either re-scaling each design or cropping it. The single 20 x 30 in format keeps every print showing as it was drawn.

Does a higher momme really feel different?

Yes, and more than people expect. The jump from 16 to 22 is obvious in the hand. Whether it is worth the price difference is a personal call; 19 momme is the weight most people land on when they compare them side by side.

Will a printed case fade faster than a solid one?

Not if you treat it the same way. Wash cool, never bleach, never tumble dry, and dry away from direct sunlight. Sunlight is the real enemy of printed silk, not washing.

How many should I own?

Two per pillow is the practical answer: one on the bed, one in the wash. For more on how long they last, see how long does a silk pillowcase last.

Where to start

Browse the printed silk pillowcases or the solid silk pillowcases, or see everything side by side.

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