Commonly Asked Questions About Silk Baby Bedding

We all know that good quality bedding is a must, and this is especially true when it comes to our bubs. Understandably, parents want to make sure that their babies are sleeping on bedding that is high quality and safe, but there are unlimited options out there and it can all be a bit overwhelming! We’ve collated a list of the most commonly asked questions that we’ve received from parents over the years about our silk baby bedding, and addressed them for you below.

When it comes to our little ones, of course we want to make sure that the products we buy are safe, especially anything that comes into contact with their bare skin. Something we often get asked is whether silk is a safe fabric for babies. Not only is Mulberry silk safe for babies to sleep on, but it is an ideal material for their sensitive skin and delicate hair.

Silk Bassinet Sleeve in Mustard by Sleepy Silk

Pure Mulberry silk has a myriad of benefits, including being hypoallergenic, dust-mite resistant, odourless and antimicrobial, so is the perfect fabric for baby bedding. Concerned parents also frequently ask about the breathability of silk, but 100% Mulberry silk is very breathable[1], even more so than cotton (unlike satin, its synthetic and inferior imitation).

Silk is gentle and kind to sensitive skin, making it the recommended fabric for both bedding and clothing when it comes to babies with eczema and other skin irritations[2]. The naturally hydrating properties of Mulberry silk help skin to retain moisture, and its luxuriously soft finish soothes bub’s irritated skin for a more comfy night’s rest.

Learn more about the many benefits of silk

Many parents who purchase our silk bedding do so to prevent or get rid of baby bald spots. Since babies spend a lot of time on their backs, they constantly rub the backs of their heads on their bedding, and fabrics such as cotton and bamboo can tug and pull on delicate baby hair, resulting in unsightly bald patches.

By contrast, the long strands and tightly woven nature of premium Mulberry silk creates an incredibly smooth and frictionless surface that allows bub’s fine hair to glide effortlessly and unharmed, preventing hair loss as well as allowing for hair growth where bald spots already exist.

There are various companies out there with their own brands of silk bedding on offer, and while they may all use Mulberry silk, there are other factors that contribute to the quality and safety of their products.

Grade and momme of silk used
Firstly, you need to identify the grade and momme of the silk used. The grade of silk refers to the length of the silk fibres, with longer lengths resulting in a smoother, more lustrous finish. Our products are all made from grade 6A Mulberry silk, being the highest grade of silk available in the world.

Unlike most other fabrics, the quality of silk is not determined by thread count, but rather by a metric called momme (pronounced 'moe-mee'). Momme measures silk density and weight, and the greater the momme, the higher the quality of the silk and the longer its lifespan. Most silk products on the market range between 19 - 22 momme, and some brands use such low quality silk that they don’t even specify the momme at all. All Sleepy Silk products are made from 25 momme silk, so that each piece is of the most superior quality and durability.

Strictness of OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 testing
The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a worldwide, independent testing and certification system for textile products. Among other things, it tests for azo colourants, formaldehyde, nickel and many other harmful chemicals. All our baby bedding has been independently tested and certified in accordance with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 for Product Class 1 – this is the highest and most stringent class, deemed to be safe for babies and toddlers. Many other silk products that claim to be OEKO-TEX® certified only meet Product Class 2, being for articles worn close to the skin for adults and children over 3 years old. We have chosen to comply with the strictest criteria to ensure that all our products are safe for even the most sensitive skin.

Meeting SIDS safe sleep guidelines
International SIDS organisations, such as The American SIDS Institute in the US, The Lullaby Trust in the UK, Red Nose Australia and Baby’s Breath in Canada, have developed safe sleep guidelines, which include recommendations relating to baby bedding.

One of the main risks posed to babies is loose bedding, which may cover baby’s face and obstruct their breathing.[3] The majority of baby bedding brands have not specifically addressed this risk in the design of their products, so parents need to be vigilant in ensuring that the sheets they buy will fit tightly and perfectly on their baby’s mattress without any excessive fabric that can come loose.

All Sleepy Silk baby bedding has been developed in accordance with SIDS organisations’ safe sleep recommendations, and our designs include patented features that allow for our products to be adjusted in size for a snug and safe fit – see below for more details of how we meet SIDS guidelines.

As parents of a baby ourselves, we understand the desire to have peace of mind that we’ve created a safe sleeping environment for our bubs. To ensure that all our silk baby bedding is SIDS safe, we have designed our products in accordance with the guidelines of international SIDS organisations.

While these organisations do not recommend specific materials for baby sheets, they do suggest lightweight fabrics to avoid overheating.

From Red Nose Australia: “Red Nose recommends that any bedding for baby should be light weight…heavy or excessive bedding should be avoided to reduce the risk of overheating.”[4]

One of the main concerns of SIDS organisations is that baby’s head and face can become covered. Because of this, their recommendations stress the importance of choosing well-fitting bedding that cannot be pulled loose.

From The Lullaby Trust: “The use of loose bedding which can cover your baby’s face or head can be dangerous and can increase the chance of SIDS.”[5]

As there are many brands of bassinets and cribs sold around the world, all with different dimensions and mattress sizes, it can be difficult to purchase baby bedding that provides a tight, snug fit. Excessive material poses a risk, as even if you attempt to tuck this extra fabric underneath the mattress, your baby may still be able to wriggle around and pull at the sheet enough for it to become loose and cover their face.

All of our silk sleeves and silk fitted sheets have unique and patented adjustability features built into them, to ensure that they fit snugly onto baby’s mattress and there is no risk of any fabric becoming loose.

Our silk sleeves feature a stretch polyester backing with multiple zippers, allowing you to adjust the circumference of your sleeve for a tight fit on bub’s mattress.

Our silk fitted sheets also feature an exclusive patented design, with a stretch polyester trim and adjustable bungee cord, allowing you to adjust the sheet to snugly wrap around baby’s mattress without any slack fabric.

Want to know more? Learn more about our silk baby bedding, and browse our full range.

Footnotes

[1] A. Lambert, “Eczema-Friendly Bedding”, National Eczema Society, pg. 2, https://eczema.org/wp-content/uploads/165-Exchange-Bedding-article.pdf

[2] E. King et al, “Knowing Your Child’s Eczema”, The Royal Children’s Hospital, pg. 7, https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/ derm/knowing-your-childs-eczema-booklet(1).pdf

[3] “Safe Bedding – Is the Bedding Safe?”, Red Nose Australia, https://rednose.org.au/article/safe-bedding-is-the-bedding-safe

[4] “Q&A Forum”, Red Nose Australia, https://rednose.org.au/question/are-silk-bassinet-cot-sheets-safe-for-babies-under-1-year-old and https://rednose.org.au/question/are-silk-slips-to-help-with-hair-loss-safe-websites-such-as-silky-tots-say-they-follow-sids-guid

[5] “Safer Sleep for Babies Fact Sheet 5: Mattresses, Bedding and Cots”, The Lullaby Trust, pg. 1, https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/mattress-bedding-factsheet-2023.pdf

Banner image credit: @rronatimeri