They are comfortable and smooth considering they are the peak of luxury. The threads in a silk sheet are flat, and your body can glide above it easily. Difference between Satin and Silk Comfort The medium range falls between 14 to 16mm, and the higher quality silk measures at 19mm, and up to 30mm. Low-quality silk comes in around 8mm (momme weight). A 100-yard long and 45-inch wide measure of fabric is weighed. A thread count would be pointless because silk creates such a fine thread, anyway. Instead, silk is measured by momme weight. If you’re looking for traditional silk satin sheets, expect to pay a pretty penny – and don’t look for the same terms used for other sheets. Usually, with synthetic fabrics, the bottom side of the sheet is dull and not nearly as soft to the touch.
That’s what creates that familiar shiny, silky feeling on top. The satin weave is created a specific way with more of the warp (top to bottom) yarns on top of the weft (side to side) yarns to create that telltale sheen. So, it might be safer to define satin as a weave.
However, those same manufacturers know they can create a facsimile of silk satin with polyester or nylon. After all, silk is a luxury material that takes a long time to produce. Now, bed linen manufacturers know not many people are willing to pay the prices that silk fetches. The truth is that satin can be made of many different materials, but speaking strictly, it should be made of silk. It could be made of anything, really, but it’s got to have that shine.
When you hear the word “satin,” you may simply conjure up an image of a glossy, shiny surfaced fabric.