Is Your Satin Bonnet or Pillowcase Wrecking Your Hair?

That glossy finish might look the part, but if your bonnet or pillowcase is made from synthetic satin, it could be the silent saboteur in your haircare routine - contributing to frizz, dryness and breakage no matter how many products you use.

Here’s what you really need to know.

What Is Synthetic Satin, Really?

Satin isn’t a fabric - it’s a weave. And most satin used in pillowcases and bonnets is made from polyester, nylon or other plastic derived fibres. That matters because while these materials may feel silky, they behave nothing like real silk.

Unlike pure silk, synthetic satin is:

• Plastic-based (derived from petroleum)
• Non-breathable and heat retaining
• Surprisingly absorbent, pulling moisture and product from your strands
• More friction-causing than it appears

So while it may mimic the look of silk, it’s not offering the same protection - and in many cases, it’s doing quite the opposite.

How Synthetic Satin Can Wreck Your Hair

It Strips Away Moisture

Rather than preserving your hair’s natural oils, polyester satin can draw them out - leaving strands dry, brittle, and prone to frizz. And because it’s more absorbent than it looks, satin can also pull skincare products and moisture from your face, disrupting your nighttime routine while damaging your lengths.

It Traps Heat and Sweat

Plastic based fibres don’t breathe. That means sweat, oil, and heat build up overnight - making your scalp greasy and your lengths limp or lacklustre.

It Causes Friction and Breakage

Despite its shiny appearance, synthetic satin creates static and drag across your strands - roughing up the cuticle and leading to tangles, snapping, and split ends.

The Silk Alternative That Actually Works

At SILKE London, we only use 100 percent pure mulberry silk, in Grade 6A long fibre quality and 22 momme thickness - the gold standard in haircare textiles.

Why does it matter? Because silk isn’t just soft. It’s smart.

Frictionless Glide

Our tightly woven silk is ultra smooth - so strands glide across the surface without snagging, tugging, or stressing the hair shaft.

Moisture-Locking

Unlike synthetic fabrics, real silk is naturally non-absorbent - meaning your hair retains its oils, hydration and styling products overnight. And it won’t interfere with your skincare either.

Breathable and Thermoregulating

Silk helps your scalp maintain its ideal microclimate - no sweat, no overheating, just cool comfort and calm roots.

Supportive of All Hair Types

No matter your hair type or condition, silk protects your style and strengthens your strands, helping to reduce damage and support healthier growth with consistent use.

Why Quality Counts

Not all silk is created equal. Some cheaper silk products are blended with synthetics, made with short fibres, or produced in lower momme weights that simply don’t perform.

At SILKE London, we don’t compromise. Our founder Maria Sotiriou spent over three decades as a hairstylist, seeing first hand how much fabric choice impacts hair condition. Every SILKE product was designed to protect, restore and support your hair - not just look good on your nightstand.

Still Sleeping on Synthetic Satin?

It’s time to upgrade. Because beautiful, healthy hair doesn’t happen by accident. It happens while you sleep. And what you sleep on matters.