Are Silk Pyjamas Warm Enough for Winter?

Silk won't make you cold, but on its own a thin pair of silk pyjamas won't keep you as warm as flannel in a cold room either. Its fine weave keeps body heat close to the skin and makes a comfortable first layer under thicker ones. In winter, choose a long-sleeved set, add a robe on top, and balance the warmth with the room and the duvet.

How silk holds heat

Fabric doesn't produce heat; what counts is how much of the heat your body produces it holds on to. The main factor is how much still air a fabric traps between itself and your skin. Thick, brushed fabrics trap a lot of air, which is why flannel and fleece feel warm straight away. The silk used in nightwear is thin and tightly woven, and traps little air.

Silk is loved in winter for a different reason: as a natural fibre it conducts heat slowly and forms a thin layer close to the skin. On its own it doesn't replace a thick fabric, but it works well as a first layer under others. That's why silk is also used for base layers in mountaineering and skiing.

Then there's moisture. Under a heavy duvet you sweat lightly through the night. Silk takes up some of that moisture and releases it into the air. Moisture that builds up on the skin feels chilly as it cools; a first layer that moves moisture away from the skin reduces that feeling. Silk doesn't work miracles, but unlike synthetic pyjamas it doesn't trap sweat against your skin.

Why some people say they feel cold in silk

Most people who say they feel cold in silk are really reacting to how it's worn, not to the fabric. The most common reasons:

• The first touch. Silk's surface is smooth and slippery, so in a cold room it feels cool when it first touches your skin. It quickly takes on your body temperature.
• A summer cut in winter. A strappy nightdress or a shorts set leaves arms and legs bare in winter. The problem isn't silk; it's the cut.
• A single layer. In a cold room, one thin layer isn't enough, whatever the fibre.
• A size too loose. A very loose cut lets circulating air in between fabric and skin. In winter, a relaxed but not baggy fit keeps you warmer.

Fix these four points and silk is comfortable in winter too.

What weight and weave change in winter

Silk isn't a single fabric. The same fibre behaves very differently depending on weave and weight. Silk fabric weight is expressed in momme: the higher the number, the thicker and heavier the fabric, and the more warmth it holds. Heavier silk feels slightly warmer in winter than lighter silk, but no silk pyjamas will reach the thickness of flannel or fleece.

The weave changes the feel too. Lustrous, smooth charmeuse feels cooler at first touch in a cold room. Slightly grainy, matte crêpe de chine sits less slippery against the skin. In winter these differences matter less than the cut and the layers; long sleeves and a good robe always come first.

Choosing a cut for winter

Women

In winter, the most sensible choice is a set with long sleeves and long trousers. In the Lace Pyjama Set, the ice blue and khaki versions have long sleeves: a shirt and long trousers, with lace at the collar. If you love nightdresses, choose an ankle-length style; a long nightdress covers the legs and, with a robe on top, works in winter too.

Men

For men, the winter set-up is trousers and a robe. The men's Lounge Set · 3 Pieces includes a shawl-collar robe, shorts and trousers: trousers and robe in winter, shorts in summer. The Shawl-Collar Robe is knee-length with sleeves to the wrist; over pyjamas it fully covers the body and arms.

Layering: silk against the skin, thicker on top

The right way to wear silk in winter is in layers. The order:

1. Silk against the skin. Pyjamas or a nightdress. A slippery, light first layer that moves moisture away from the skin.
2. A middle layer if needed. In very cold homes, a thin wool or cashmere cardigan over the silk shirt. Thanks to silk's slippery surface, the layer on top glides easily without bunching up.
3. A robe on top. The moment you get out of bed, morning coffee, an evening with a book. In winter, a robe is your coat for indoors.

When you choose a robe, think about length. The Lace Robe is long and belted and comes in the same five colours as the Long Lace Nightdress; it fully covers whatever you wear underneath. The Kimono ends below the knee and is a lighter layer, suited to the in-between seasons and well-heated homes. We explain the difference in robe vs kimono.

The order matters: wearing the thick fabric against the skin and silk on top cancels out silk's advantage. Silk against the skin, thicker on top.

The room and the bed

In winter, how warm you are at night depends more on the duvet and the room than on your pyjamas. Under a heavy duvet, flannel pyjamas can sometimes overheat you and make you sweat; silk is thinner, so it carries the warmth of the duvet without adding extra bulk. That's why, in winter, it makes sense to think of silk pyjamas together with a good duvet.

Feet and wrists are the first places to get cold at night. Thin socks before bed, and slippers and a robe when you get up, often make more difference than the thickness of your pyjamas.

Static electricity

Central heating dries the air. In dry air, silk can build up static: the fabric clings to the skin or to itself and crackles when you take it off. Balancing the humidity in the room reduces this. Fabric softener isn't recommended for silk, and anti-static sprays can leave marks on it; rather than using them, humidify the air.

What to avoid on winter nights

• Don't press a hot water bottle directly against silk. Intense heat and a possible leak can leave a permanent mark; use the bottle in a cover.
• Don't lay your pyjamas on the radiator to warm them. Dry, intense heat makes silk stiff.
• Don't put a rough, coarse blanket directly over silk. Constant friction gradually dulls the surface of the silk.

Caring for silk in winter

• No drying on the radiator. Direct heat stiffens and yellows silk. Dry the piece in the shade at room temperature, on a hanger or flat. Drying takes longer in the winter months; be patient and don't use a tumble dryer.
• Pyjamas regularly, the robe less often. Pyjamas worn against the skin collect sweat and body oils and should be washed regularly. A robe worn as an outer layer can be washed less often; airing it in between is enough.
• The washing rules are the same in winter. 30°C (86°F), inside out, by hand or in a mesh bag on a delicate cycle, a gentle detergent, no bleach and no fabric softener. All the steps are in how to wash silk.
• Wash before putting things away at the end of winter. Put long-sleeved sets and robes into their dust bags clean and completely dry. More in how to store silk.

One set or two?

If you want to wear silk pyjamas all year round, it makes sense to think of separate cuts for winter and summer: a long-sleeved set and a long robe for winter, a shorts set or a short nightdress for summer. The robe stays common to both seasons: on cool summer mornings, and every day in winter. We cover how silk behaves in summer in are silk pyjamas hot in summer.

For winter cuts, browse the pyjama sets and robes and kimonos collections. In mixed collections, the product page says which pieces are silk.