Need advice on a fabric for hair use

[Igor]

I ordered some Thai silk from a website to use for a sleep sock (A sleep cap for braids) and it was very expensive. I’m very disappointed with it though
It feels heavy and has that glossy shine to it like a good quality silk
But it’s very roughly woven. It looks like its woven rough on purpose for texture or something
I bought expensive silk on purpose to get something as smooth as possible and now it feels like some satin at one tenth of the price would have been smoother

Maybe it’s smoother on a microscopic level where it won’t catch my hair strands?

Any input?

[Tabitha]

I know what you mean - Thai silk very often has that characteristic, in fact maybe that's what's meant by Thai silk? sometimes called "wild silk", with slubs in it.

I can't comment on its microscopic qualities, but perhaps you could buy some of the cheap silk satin you mention, which will probably be very thin and not that strong, and use it as a lining for the Thai silk. So you have the Thai silk on the outside which will look nice when you wear it, and the smooth but not so strong satin on the inside, which will be supported by the outer layer.

[frizzinator]

There was another thread about silk sleeping fabric recently. I cannot find the thread, but I remember someone bought a large silk habotai scarf from DharmaTrading. The habotai fabric was not slick like satin, but because it had some texture, the scarf stayed on the head instead of slipping off while sleeping.

I have a silk scarf that has a slick side and a rougher more textured side, so I tried wearing it both ways while sleeping. The rougher side of the scarf stayed on my head during sleep much better than the slippery side, and I have been wearing it every night since I saw that post. I have noticed a lot of improvement over just using a silk pillowcase.

I don't think textured silk will catch strands of hair. Maybe you could tie it up like a scarf and sleep with it to confirm that it will not catch your hair before you waste your time making the cap, just in case it doesn't work.

[Nynaeve]

I have noticed a lot of improvement over just using a silk pillowcase.

Improvement as in what? Like lack or static? Fewer split ends? Fewer knots? etc...

[Poolsoflaughter]

Well, I guess I'll put in my "." I would just run my hand over the roughly woven surface. If the texture is at all abrasive, I would pass on wearing it over the hair. I used to weave for a living, and worked with raw silk, from winding the bobbins, to the final product; to me, the raw/expensive type silk, once woven and washed, felt porous like cotton to me.

[frizzinator]

Improvement as in what? Like lack or static? Fewer split ends? Fewer knots? etc...

Using only a silk pillowcase, I go to sleep without frizzy hair, and wake up with frizzy hair.

Wearing the silk scarf, I go to sleep without frizzy hair and wake up without frizzy hair.

Plus, I can wear my hair loose inside the scarf and wake up without tangles. That was impossible using only the silk pillowcase.

I like using both the pillowcase and the scarf at the same time.

[tmmycat]

there are lots of different ways to weave silk and some are rougher or smoother than others ... look for "silk satin" that is probably the smoothest.

if you want thicker stronger fabric, look for a higher "momme" rating.

I have this pillowcase and it's perfect ... very smooth and soft even after I wash it in the washer & dryer. http://www.amazon.com/Silk-Pillowcas.../dp/B000B43PCA

[VikingJarl]

Currently not available though

[meichigo]

that kind of silk is usually called "dupioni silk," though I first knew it as thai silk because that's what my dad calls it.

Silk charmeuse is basically a silk-satin (but not crepe backed like many poly satins are). You could try that, or maybe a china silk. I can take some pictures of close-ups of different silks and try to find the entries in my textile book later.