Posted by Laud Sleep
on July 14, 2026
The pillowcase is the piece of bedding your skin touches for the longest, most continuous stretch of the night. It is where your face rests, where your hair settles, and where warmth and moisture either build up or quietly move away. So when people ask whether they should choose silk or bamboo, they are really asking a simple question. Which one will feel calmer against my skin, night after night?
Both are lovely. Both are a genuine upgrade on a standard cotton pillowcase. But they feel different, and they suit slightly different sleepers. This is a calm, practical comparison to help you choose the one that is right for you.
Which is cooler, silk or bamboo?
A bamboo pillowcase tends to feel cooler through the whole night because it is highly breathable and moisture-wicking, which suits people who run warm or wake up damp. A mulberry silk pillowcase feels cooler to the touch the moment you lie down and stays smooth and temperature-adaptive, which suits people who want that fresh-side-of-the-pillow feel and gentler contact with skin and hair. If your main issue is sweating, lean bamboo. If your main issue is comfort, smoothness and skin, lean silk.
Silk pillowcases: smooth, cool to the touch, gentle on skin and hair
Mulberry silk has a particular quality that is hard to describe until you have slept on it. It feels cool and fluid against the skin, and it glides rather than drags, which is why so many people notice a difference in their hair and their morning skin.
Because silk is a smooth, low-friction surface, it creates less tug on the skin overnight, which can mean fewer creases and less irritation. It also does not draw moisture out of the skin the way more absorbent fabrics can, so any evening skincare tends to stay where you put it. For hair, that same smoothness helps reduce friction, tangles and frizz, particularly for curly, fine or dry hair.
Silk is naturally temperature-adaptive. It feels cool when the room is warm and gently insulating when the air cools, which is part of why it feels so pleasant at the moment of getting into bed. The quality marker to look for is momme, the unit that measures silk weight and density. Our White 19 Momme Mulberry Silk Pillowcase sits in the sweet spot: substantial enough to feel luxurious and wear well, without feeling heavy.
Where silk asks a little more of you is moisture. It is less absorbent than bamboo, so if you sweat heavily at night, silk can start to feel warm once it is damp. It also prefers gentle care, which we cover further down.
Bamboo pillowcases: breathable, moisture-wicking, easy to live with
Bamboo fabric, including the bamboo silk we use across our bedding, is prized for breathability. It allows air to move and it wicks moisture away from the skin, which is exactly what a warm sleeper needs. Rather than simply feeling cool for a moment, bamboo tends to keep the pillow feeling drier and fresher across the whole night.
Bamboo is also smooth, though in a slightly different way to silk. It has a soft, clean, cool-to-the-touch handle that many people find just as kind to skin and hair, with the added reassurance of being naturally breathable and hypoallergenic, which helps if you are prone to irritation or allergies.
Practically, bamboo is the more relaxed choice. It is generally easier to care for, more durable through regular washing, and often more affordable, so it is a natural first step if you want a cooler bed without a delicate routine. You can explore the option in our bamboo pillowcases, or as part of a fuller set in our bamboo silk bedding range.
Silk vs bamboo pillowcase: the honest comparison
| What matters | Mulberry silk | Bamboo |
|---|---|---|
| Cool-to-the-touch feel | Excellent, cool the moment you lie down | Very good, cool and dry |
| Breathability and moisture | Good, but less absorbent when you sweat heavily | Excellent, wicks moisture and stays drier |
| Skin and hair | Very smooth, low friction, retains skin hydration | Smooth and gentle, naturally hypoallergenic |
| Care | Gentle wash, more delicate | Easy care, hard-wearing |
| Best for | Comfort, skin, hair, that luxurious finish | Hot sleepers and night sweats, easy everyday use |
Which pillowcase should you choose?
Choose a silk pillowcase if your priority is how the pillow feels against your skin and hair, if you love that smooth, cool, considered finish, or if you want to protect your skincare and reduce creasing and frizz. It is the more indulgent choice, and for many people it becomes a nightly essential. Start with our mulberry silk pillowcases.
Choose a bamboo pillowcase if you run hot, experience night sweats, or simply want a cooler, breathable pillow that is easy to care for and wears well. It is the more practical everyday option, and it pairs beautifully with breathable sheets.
And if you cannot quite decide, there is no rule that says you must. Many people keep a silk pillowcase for the skin and hair benefits and a bamboo one for the warmest nights, and simply reach for whichever suits the evening.
A note on care
Silk rewards a gentle routine. Cooler washes, mild detergent and low heat keep the surface smooth and the sheen intact, so avoid harsh cycles and tumble drying on high. Bamboo is more forgiving and copes well with regular machine washing, though it too prefers a cooler wash and gentle drying to stay soft and last well. In both cases, less heat and less friction is the quiet secret to bedding that stays lovely for years.
The simplest place to start
If you want one small change that you notice the very first night, the pillow area is it. A cooler, smoother surface where your face rests can make the whole bed feel fresher, whichever fabric you choose. For that refined, cool-to-the-touch finish, our White 19 Momme Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is a beautiful place to begin, and it pairs effortlessly with breathable layers like bamboo and linen.
