Why Someone Might Not Fall Instantly In Love With Silk Pillow Cases

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Despite our best efforts and the efforts of all the good people who love silk pillow cases across the globe, silk is not the number one material used in pillow cases.  Yet.  Cotton still ranks number one across the board for bed linens, and honestly there’s good reasons for that.  It’s super easy to take care of, it can be pretty cheap and it’s what people are used to.  Even though we think silk pillow cases are undeniable awesome, there are a few reasons why some people, crazy as it may seem to those of us enlightened ones, may not fall in love with silk pillow cases.

Cotton Lover

Just as some people have a love affair with silk pillow cases and silk bedding in general, others have a similar love affair with cotton.  Or linen.  Or flannel.  Some people have a clear, defined and enduring preference for one material over the other.  While some of these people may have reasons why they love one material over the other, for many it’s an undefined and unexplainable feeling, much like it is for people who love silk.  In this case it may not be possible for them to open their mind to the possibility of silk or even try out a silk pillow case.  If you are considering giving someone you know a silk pillow case set as a gift and they fall into this category, it might be a good idea to think of a different kind of gift.

Pragmatic

Although many people love silk pillow cases for their luxury and sensuous feel, these same qualities may forever keep it out of the pragmatic person’s linen closet.  Pragmatism is not a bad thing but it will generally focus on the practicality and usability of something.  Special washing requirements and higher costs typically associated with silk pillow cases in contrast to their cotton cousins will remove it from the thinking of a pragmatic person.

Cheapskate

Cheapskate, penny-pincher, parsimony, frugality, stingy – whatever the word, these people simply hate to spend extra money on anything they don’t have to.  Different from a pragmatic person, a cheapskate won’t care about the washing requirements or any other factors in a silk pillow case – they simply won’t like the price.  For them, price is king, and since silk pillow cases often run a little dearer than their cotton counterparts, they are out of the running for a cheapskate.

Stubbly

One of the reasons why silk pillow cases are so soft and smooth is the way the fabric is woven together.  Silk pillow cases are generally woven using a satin weave where four threads go over one thread.  This weave will create a very soft and silky feeling, but can be more susceptible to catching things that rub over the surface of it.  For example, unshaven whiskers or stubble.  If a person has especially stiff or fast growing facial hair, they more than likely will not enjoy the experience of sleeping on a pillow case that catches their stubble every time they move.  Some men will shave before going to bed and that may be enough.  However if you are contemplating giving silk pillow cases to a couple who has one member with thick or strong facial hair, perhaps a high thread count Egyptian cotton percale might be a better choice.

No Benefit

As explained other places on this website, silk pillow cases have some possible benefits for certain groups of people.  They are naturally hypoallergenic, possibly providing some relief to allergy sufferers.  They are less absorbent than cotton, allowing the sleeper’s face to retain more moisture than other fabrics.  Also, they may provide welcome relief to overly processed hair by letting it move more freely over the surface of the pillow.  However.  If none of these categories apply to you or the person you are buying for, silk pillow cases may not have an appeal outside of their feel.  Short hair, great skin and no allergies mean there are precious few reasons to buy and use silk pillow cases.  Except of course the feel of them.

The Feel

For many silk pillow case lovers, this is the one overriding factor that makes them love silk pillow cases.  The lustrous, luxurious, silky sensuousness of the pillow case is what makes them look forward to going to bed every night.  But if that feel doesn’t appeal to someone, then they will more than likely not fall instantly in love with silk pillow cases and probably never will.  This is too bad because the feel of a silk pillow case, in the minds of many, is simply awesome.

Try To Convince Them, But Tread Lightly

As mentioned many times on this website, we love silk pillow cases and think you should too.  However we are realistic in our fanaticism.  Some people will simply not love silk pillow cases as much as we do.  That’s okay.  We won’t cry.  But if you are in love with them as we are and want to spread the wealth around by buying someone a silk pillow case set as a gift or present, you might want to take a minute and consider if they would truly love them as much as you do.  You may have fallen instantly in love with your silk pillow cases the minute you tried them, but that doesn’t mean that they will.  If they fit any of the categories above, or worse yet a combination of them, it might be time to set down your attraction to silk bedding and consider something that they might actually like.  Good luck!

Silk Pillow Cases Can Make Really Great Gifts

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So, Valentines Day is coming up, or maybe it’s Mother’s Day, or perhaps a birthday for a special person in your life.  You want to get something nice for them and they’ve recently mentioned silk or silk pillow cases more than once.  Being the perceptive person that you are, you’ve picked up on it and are considering buying them a silk pillow case set.  But is this an appropriate gift?  Will they like it or will it send the wrong message?  Are silk pillow cases good things to give as gifts?

Well, the answer depends on a few things.  First of all you need to take into consideration the person receiving the gift.  Are they terribly picky?  Do they have strong likes and dislikes?  You will also need to take into consideration the nuances that could be read into the gift.  This can be complicated by whether the giver is a man or a woman.

Now, before we get into all of those things, let’s clear one thing up.  Silk pillow cases make a great gift.  All the other things mentioned above are simply variations and things to consider.  Why do silk pillow cases make a great gift?  Because they are simply awesome.  Comfortable and cool, they don’t draw a lot of moisture out of your skin when you sleep, leaving your skin more hydrated than cotton.  They are naturally hypoallergenic because dust mites have a more difficult time burrowing their way into the fabric, resulting in fewer sniffles during the night.  And, perhaps more importantly, they feel great.  Unless you’ve got a lot of stubble on your face, and then it’s mostly uncomfortable.  But for everyone else, they’re fantastic.

The first thing you need to consider is the person you’re giving them to.  Sure, everyone likes getting nice gifts, however, if they have a strong preference for something, like cotton, percale or flannel, then the gift of a nice silk pillow case might not be so welcome.  Of course, they probably won’t have the bad manners to express their dislike to you personally, but it may be a gift that goes unused or is just re-gifted.  So make sure it’s something they would like to get, not just something you want to get for them.

Next up is the the consideration of the nuances of giving silk pillow cases as a gift.  Of course, silk is constantly considered a more sensual fabric than, say, denim or flannel.  Giving someone a gift of a fabric that is sensual will always raise those questions unless the relationship is cut and dried non-sensual, like that of a mother and son or best friends from time immemorial.  However, be aware that given between male and female friends, regardless of the length of friendship and the platonic nature of the friendship, misunderstanding can arise.  This is also due to the fact that pillow cases are used when a person sleeps.  Combining the concept of silk’s inherent sensuality and the concept of sleep, some people can insinuate and add nuances to a gift that aren’t there.  Not to say everyone will, but some will.  So tread carefully.

There are lots of things to consider when buying any gift.  Silk pillow cases are no exception.  While you need to consider the person receiving the gift as well as what message could be understood by giving silk pillow cases, make no mistake that outside of all that other stuff,  silk pillow cases can make a great gift for the right person.

Silk Pillow Cases: A Romantic Gift For The Special Someone In Your Life

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Valentine’s Day is just around the bend and you’re starting to look for a gift for the special someone in your life.  You don’t want to be caught flat-footed like last year and end up with lame chocolates or stuffed animals.  So what is a romantic person to do?  It doesn’t matter if it’s your first Valentine’s Day or your 50th; silk pillow cases can make a great Valentine’s Day present for that special someone in your life.

Let’s be clear here about two points – silk pillow cases aren’t by definition, a romantic gift.  It all depends on how you frame it and play it up.  The second point is that silk pillow cases are generally purchased for women.  That doesn’t mean that a man can’t sleep on them.  Silk pillow case sets come with two pillow cases so any man who is buying for someone they spend the night with should expect to sleep on them.  It’s just that they are typically purchased for women.  If buying for a man it might be a good idea to think again.  Not to say you can’t, but you might want to take a step back and make sure it’s a gift they will appreciate and not be forced to pretend they appreciate.

So why do silk pillow cases make a great romantic gift for that special someone in your life?  Because it’s silk, and as everyone knows, silk has a very sensual and sexy connection to it in our culture.  The touch of silk, the feel of silk, it just brings to mind all sorts of romantic and possibly naughty ideas.  Silk sheets of course will bring these thoughts to the forefront of one’s mind without fail while silk pillow cases not as much.  This makes silk pillow cases a good gift for the couple that is beginning to be romantic.  They are also a great way to test the waters and see if someone is interested in larger things, like silk sheets.

Silk pillow cases also show you care.  How? Because they are naturally more hypo-allergenic than cotton pillow cases and they absorb less moisture than comparable pillow case materials leaving the sleeper’s face more hydrated and younger looking.  These are just two of the major points of silk pillow cases that have been touted in numerous articles recently and by a lot of people.  Buying a silk pillow case set for the person you love will show them you care about not only how well they sleep (possibly fewer sniffles) but also how they look when they wake up (possibly fewer wrinkles over time).  Of course, there’s no guarantee that these two things will occur as there are many other factors affecting them, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

The last reason silk pillow cases make great romantic gifts for Valentine’s Day is because they are a little different than the normal gifts of flowers, chocolates or even the last-minute staple of stuffed animals.  Buying silk pillow cases requires forethought and planning.  The fact that you were thinking about the person and trying to get them a nice gift is sometimes far more important than the actual gift itself.  Flowers are nice and always appreciated, but a nice silk pillow case set may be more appreciated and not that expensive if you look around for good deals.  Just don’t go super cheap – you’ll ruin all the good will you built up by buying something cheap that feels terrible.

Silk pillow cases aren’t as romantically charged as silk sheets or silk clothing of various kinds.  They can be as romantic as the giver wishes.  Not as much as silk sheets, of course, but buying silk pillow cases will never be an unromantic gesture.  It all depends on how the gesture is played.  If played right, then it could be a very nice Valentine’s Day indeed.  So when thinking of Valentine’s Day this year, or any special occasion for the special person in your life, think of silk pillow cases.  They might be just the ticket.