3 Best Pillowcases for Hair Growth: Materials & Differences

Key Takeaways

• Sleeping on the wrong pillowcase puts hair under mechanical stress every night, roughening the cuticle and accelerating breakage, split ends, and frizz over time.

• Cotton is the main culprit. Even high thread-count cotton has a textured surface at the microscopic level that catches on hair strands with every movement during sleep.

• Mayfairsilk's Oxford pillowcases are made from 25 momme Grade 6A long-fibre Mulberry silk, with a smooth protein fibre surface that lets hair glide freely and keeps the cuticle flat and intact.

• At 25 momme, Mayfairsilk pillowcases are 20-30% more durable than 22 momme alternatives while still delivering the smooth, low-friction surface that protects hair wash after wash.

• All three Oxford designs (Oyster Grey, Champagne, and Ivory & Damask) share identical hair-protective performance. The only differences are aesthetic. 

Which Pillowcases Are Best for Hair Growth?

The best pillowcases for hair health are made from high-grade Mulberry silk, and all three pillowcases in this guide are built to the same specification: 25 momme Grade 6A long-fibre Mulberry silk. At 25 momme, the weave is dense enough to hold its smooth, low-friction surface through regular washing, which is where lighter silk pillowcases typically lose their edge. The differences between the three Mayfairsilk Oxford options are purely aesthetic, so choosing comes down to which colourway suits your bedroom.

Beyond friction, silk is also temperature-regulating and hypoallergenic. Both factors contribute to a healthier scalp environment, which supports overall hair health and retention.

Mayfairsilk: Luxurious Slumber in Matte Silk As Featured in Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar & Vanity Fair Experience True Silk Luxury: Silk Pillowcases · 25 Momme: Transform your beauty sleep with our signature pillowcases that help reduce friction on hair and skin while regulating temperature throughout the night. Silk Sheets · 22 Momme: Envelop yourself in the ultimate bedding experience with our thermoregulating complete sets, crafted from lustrous Grade 6A Mulberry silk with an exquisite matte finish. Exclusive Limited Edition Prints: Elevate your bedroom aesthetic with our designer patterns, created in small batches for those who appreciate distinctive luxury. The Mayfairsilk Difference: ✓ Grade 6A Mulberry silk (the highest quality available) ✓ Thicker, more durable weave (22–25 Momme vs. standard 19) ✓ Natural thermoregulation for year-round comfort ✓ British owned and designed ✓ UK-based warehouse for fast, reliable delivery ✓ 30-night sleep guarantee on pillowcases Luxury Without Compromise: Free Next-Day Delivery on orders over £50 to the UK and €180/$180 to the EU/US. All taxes and duties calculated upfront—no surprise charges. Discover Mayfairsilk Today →

1. Mayfairsilk Oyster Grey Oxford Silk Pillowcase

The Mayfairsilk Oyster Grey Oxford Silk Pillowcase is one of the brand's most popular options, finished in a sophisticated grey with a classic Oxford border and Damask print. It is handcrafted from 25 momme Grade 6A long-fibre Mulberry silk with a matte finish, giving it both a luxurious feel and serious hair-care performance. The Oyster Grey colourway features a two-tone watercolour-style design with subtle gradients, making it as visually refined as it is functional.

Key Hair Benefits

The smooth silk surface of this pillowcase directly reduces the mechanical friction that causes hair cuticle damage during sleep, keeping the cuticle flat and intact for improved lustre, reduced frizz, and noticeably less breakage over time. Unlike cotton, which lifts and roughens the cuticle with every movement during the night, silk allows hair to glide freely across the surface. The temperature-regulating properties also help maintain a comfortable scalp environment throughout the night, supporting overall scalp comfort and hair health.

The smooth silk surface of Mayfairsilk’s collection can help protect your hair during sleep. 

2. Mayfairsilk Champagne Oxford Silk Pillowcase

Finished in a warm Champagne golden hue, the Mayfairsilk Champagne Oxford Silk Pillowcase brings a refined, sophisticated look to any bedroom while delivering the same high-performance hair care as the rest of the range. It features a classic Oxford border with tone-on-tone piping, a subtle but elegant design detail that works equally well in classic and contemporary bedroom décors. Like all Mayfairsilk pillowcases, it is handcrafted from pure 25 momme Grade 6A Mulberry silk with a matte finish.

Key Hair Benefits

The 25 momme silk surface of the Champagne Oxford reduces friction against hair strands, directly minimising the breakage and split ends that accumulate from months of sleeping on rougher fabrics. Hair wakes up with improved lustre and less frizz, a benefit that compounds over weeks of consistent use. The hypoallergenic properties also make this a smart choice for those with a sensitive scalp.

3. Mayfairsilk Ivory & Damask Oxford Silk Pillowcase

The Mayfairsilk Ivory & Damask Oxford Silk Pillowcase pairs beautifully with the Oyster Grey Damask design, with an Ivory base and a Damask printed Oxford border that adds elegance and layering to any sleep space. It is part of Mayfairsilk's Oxford collection and is finished with the same handcrafted attention to detail using pure 25 momme Grade 6A Mulberry silk. The Ivory colourway is one of the most versatile in the range, complementing both cool and warm bedroom palettes with ease.

Key Hair Benefits

The Ivory & Damask Oxford delivers the same hair-protective performance as every pillowcase in the Mayfairsilk collection, with its ultra-smooth 25 momme surface preventing the overnight friction that damages the hair cuticle and causes the frizz and breakage most people attribute only to heat styling. Keeping the cuticle flat and intact supports improved lustre, manageability, and strength over time. Silk's natural temperature-regulating and hypoallergenic properties make it a smart choice for those with a sensitive scalp.

The Ivory & Damask Oxford Silk Pillowcase has an elegant border that gives an extra aesthetic touch. 

What Are the Key Differences Between These 3 Pillowcases?

All three Mayfairsilk Oxford pillowcases share the same foundational material: 25 momme Grade 6A Mulberry silk. In terms of hair-protective performance, they are identical. The differences come down entirely to aesthetic design and style details that suit different bedroom palettes.

The Oyster Grey Oxford features a Damask print with a two-tone watercolour-style design that suits cool, contemporary tones. The Champagne Oxford comes in a warm golden hue with tone-on-tone piping, leaning more classic and refined. The Ivory & Damask Oxford bridges both worlds with a clean neutral base and printed border detailing, designed to layer beautifully with other Mayfairsilk pieces.

Top 3 Pillowcases for Hair Health: Summary Table

All Mayfairsilk pillowcases are made of 6A-long fibre Mulberry silk. 

Why Premium Mulberry Silk Pillowcases Are Best for Hair Health

All three pillowcases featured in this guide are made from the same 25 momme Grade 6A Mulberry silk, so every option delivers the same level of hair protection. Every night, your hair spends hours in contact with your pillowcase, and on cotton (even high thread-count cotton), the woven texture creates friction that roughens the hair cuticle, strips moisture, and causes mechanical breakage. Silk works differently: its smooth protein fibre structure lets hair glide freely, keeping the cuticle flat, which improves shine, retains moisture, and reduces splitting.

Momme weight is the key quality indicator when shopping for silk pillowcases. It refers to the weight in pounds of a piece of silk that is 45 inches wide and 100 yards long. The higher the number, the denser and more durable the weave.

Here is how the numbers break down:

• Under 19 momme: Lightweight, sheer, less durable (not ideal for nightly use or meaningful hair benefits)

• 19–22 momme: A decent entry point for silk pillowcases, softer feel but less longevity

• 22–25 momme: The recommended range for hair care (durable, smooth, and substantial enough to maintain integrity wash after wash)

• 25 momme (Mayfairsilk standard): The sweet spot (dense enough for long-term durability while retaining that signature silk smoothness that protects hair overnight)

• Above 30 momme: Heavier and more substantial, but the added weight does not significantly increase hair care benefits beyond 25 momme.

Why Silk Grade Matters

Mayfairsilk uses Grade 6A long-fibre Mulberry silk: the highest classification in international silk quality standards, evaluated across multiple parameters including filament evenness, cleanness, and tensile strength. The result is a highly consistent, uniform weave with fewer surface irregularities, meaning less microscopic texture to catch on hair strands. Lower-grade silk (grades 3A–5A) produces a subtly rougher surface that is still better than cotton, but meaningfully inferior to Grade 6A for hair protection purposes.

Protect Your Hair From the First Night

The case for 25 momme Grade 6A Mulberry silk pillowcases is straightforward: a smoother surface means less overnight friction, and less friction means less breakage, frizz, and cuticle damage accumulating night after night. All three Mayfairsilk Oxford pillowcases deliver that same level of protection, so the choice between them is entirely down to design.

If you want durable, consistent hair protection built into your sleep routine, Mayfairsilk's Oxford collection is made to exactly that standard, using the highest-grade silk available. Every pillowcase is machine washable, Oeko-Tex® certified, and comes gift-boxed.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do silk pillowcases nourish hair?

Silk pillowcases protect hair. The smooth surface of high-grade Mulberry silk reduces the mechanical friction that roughens the hair cuticle and strips moisture from the hair shaft during sleep. Unlike cotton, which absorbs liquid moisture readily, silk absorbs far less, meaning any oils or treatments applied before bed stay on your hair rather than transferring into the fabric overnight.

What momme weight is best for hair care in a silk pillowcase?

For hair care purposes, 25 momme is widely regarded as an optimal momme weight, offering the durability to withstand regular washing while maintaining the smooth, low-friction surface that protects hair. Momme measures the weight in pounds of a piece of silk that is 45 inches wide and 100 yards long. The higher the number, the denser and more substantial the weave. 

Pillowcases below 19 momme tend to be too lightweight to hold their structure over time, which is why Mayfairsilk's entire Oxford collection is built at 25 momme using Grade 6A long-fibre Mulberry silk.

Can a pillowcase really reduce hair breakage?

Yes, the mechanism is straightforward. Cotton fibres, even in high thread-count weaves, have a textured surface at the microscopic level that catches on the hair cuticle as you move during sleep, and this repeated mechanical stress leads to split ends, snapping, and gradual thinning at the lengths and ends. Silk's smooth protein fibre structure significantly reduces that friction, allowing hair to glide freely and wake up in better condition over time.

Is satin as good as silk for hair?

Satin is a weave structure (not a fibre), and most satin pillowcases are made from polyester. Polyester satin reduces friction more than cotton, but it lacks silk's natural protein composition, meaning it cannot match genuine Mulberry silk for moisture management, temperature regulation, or hypoallergenic properties.

What other Mulberry silk pillowcases are available at Mayfairsilk?

Mayfairsilk's Oxford pillowcase collection is available in multiple colourways beyond the three featured here, each made from the same 25 momme Grade 6A long-fibre Mulberry silk, certified Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, and designed in London. All pillowcases are machine washable, biodegradable, and packaged in a gift box containing one pillowcase. The hair-protective performance across the range is identical; the differences between colourways are purely aesthetic.

*Note: The prices and product listings mentioned above are approximate and may vary over time or by location. Actual costs can differ based on pricing policies, provider experience, and market conditions.