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!