Lightweight, naturally hypoallergenic, and breathable, raw silk-filled duvets are perfect for cozying up and improving your sleep. By Charmaine Lim

From eye masks, sheets, and pillowcases, the possibilities for incorporating silk into our nightly routines are plentiful. For thousands of years, this natural material has been sought after for its softness, versatility, and wellness benefits. In recent years, experts even recommend silk for its beneficial use in skin care, hair care, and other self-care. But did you know silk can improve your health by giving you a restful, restorative, night’s sleep? 

Silk-filled blankets and duvets like KAILU's Heritage Duvet and Open Road Portable Throw are perfect year-round bedding, filled with layers of hand-stretched raw silk that adapt to your body temperature and provide a uniquely luxurious sleep experience. You could even think of it as cocooning yourself. Here’s why it works. 

1: KEEPS ALLERGIES AT BAY 

Legend has it that Empress Lei Zu discovered silk while having her afternoon tea some five thousand years ago. A cocoon fell into her tea and the heat unraveled the silk. She then asked for a grove of mulberry trees for creation of the finest silk. 

Today, farmers still follow the same traditional process of producing silk that started thousands of years ago, feeding their silkworms organic mulberry leaves by hand until they begin spinning. Their fibrous cocoons protect them from predators such as dust mites, which makes raw silk filling for duvets naturally hypoallergenic.  

2: ADJUSTS TO YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE

Silk became widely adopted because of its breathability and natural way of regulating body temperature. Think about it this way: A silkworm’s cocoon, made of silk fibers, serves as a protective waterproof barrier and humidity trap, keeping the silkworm’s internal temperature relatively stable regardless of its outside environment. 

When hand-stretched into light, luxurious layers to fill duvets, silk provides a more restful night’s sleep for anyone who lays beneath it — no waking up in a sweat — all year round. In contrast, average mass-market duvets, filled with polyester and synthetic materials — and even some natural materials such as feathers — trap heat and moisture between your body and the duvet, potentially disrupting sleep.  

Vidhya B., of Los Angeles, tried several types of duvets before buying a raw silk Heritage Duvet from KAILU: “The constant struggle was the desire for bedding that was truly all-weather. The raw silk duvet has been a noticeably luxurious experience. The silk melts around your body and is breathable and snuggly even in the summer heat."

In Zhejiang Province, the time-honored tradition of silk making is a painstaking process that involves months of farming, hand-washing each cocoon, and hand-pulling — a technique often passed down through generations. Local women then hand-stretch raw silk into blanket-size layers and stack them to make luxurious duvets fit for an emperor.

3: DESIGNED TO BE LONG-LASTING

Blending function and style, raw silk duvets can last 15 to 20 years if treated with care. In ancient times, silk durability led to the diverse adaptation of this special fabric, ranging from fishing lines to paper, to currency and gifts. 

It’s no surprise that silk continues to keep its allure today, despite the availability and affordability of synthetic fibers. It has inspired legends and innovations, opened the road to new lands and new ideas, and connected people from around the world. 

KAILU’s raw silk duvets are a product of centuries-old artisanal handcraft — expertly made from the highest-grade, long-strand mulberry silk, and thoughtfully designed for year-round comfort and the divine sleep experience you’ve been dreaming of.