Understanding Silk Scarves
–
Simple and Easy
Our Scarves are 100% Grade 6A Mulbery Silk, 18 momme, in Twill. Confused? Learn more below.
Don't Be Fooled
That $30 scarf has nothing on that $750 one. The funny part? That $750 one is identical to that $150 one. Confusing, right?
Silk scarves are messy. That’s because the confusion sells the product. But the reality is simple, and as with everything in life, it’s all about balance – because, YES, a $150 piece will last significantly longer and wear remarkably better than any of the cheap stuff, but a $750 piece only gets you the added benefit of an expensive brand name.
The 4 Metrics That Actually Matter
Forget the brand name. If you want to judge the objective quality of a silk scarf, you only need to look at three technical specifications – Momme, Grade, Weave, Hemming.
1. Silk Momme
Pronounced “Mom”, not “Mommy”. The Momme (Weight) describes the density of the silk.
- 12-14 momme: Thin, often sheer. Good for pocket squares, bad for scarves.
- 16-18 momme: The luxury standard. It has enough weight to drape perfectly but is light enough to tie easily.
- 22+ momme: Heavy silk, usually reserved for bedding or stiff structured garments.
2. Silk Grade
The Silk Grade (Raw Material) Silk is graded on a scale from A to C.
- Grade 6A: The highest possible grade. It uses the longest, continuous fibers (up to 1,500m long) from the cocoon. It is smoother, stronger, and more lustrous.
- Grade 5A and below: Made from shorter or broken fibers. It looks similar initially but will “pill” (fuzz) and lose its shine after a few wears.
3. Silk Weave
The Weave: Satin vs. Twill? You may or may not have heard of twill. You’ve definitely heard of satin. Ironically, satin is an absolute no-go when it comes to silk scarves
- Silk Satin: Shiny on one side, dull on the back. It is slippery and often slides off the neck and fails to stay tied. High glamour, low practicality – you wouldn’t buy a dress that falls off every few steps.
- Silk Twill: Identifiable by tiny diagonal ridges (like denim). It has a matte finish and a “grip” that helps the knot stay tied. It’s highly durable too, making it the preference for quality amongst luxury houses.
4. Hemming (Important!)
Machines hemming is flat and stiff. Look for hand rolled hems – A hand-rolled hem (roulotté) is rolled tightly by an artisan’s fingers and stitched in place. It takes about 45 minutes per scarf. It creates a soft, tubular edge that drapes fluidly and doesn’t pucker. It is the single biggest indicator of expert manufacturing.
$30 or $750, what about $150?
When you buy a $30 scarf, you’re paying for machine-finished hems, satin weave, undesirable momme, and low-grade silk. If you’ve been told it’s Grade 6A, unfortunately, you’ve been sold a lie. The raw material cost alone for real Grade 6A silk makes this impossible.
At an absolute minimum, a true premium-quality silk scarf will sell for $90 AUD. You’ll be looking at mass-produced motifs, but yes, $90 is possible. Lower than this, and one look at the reviews will tell you everything you need to know.
So then, what’s the deal with luxury scarves sitting at a cool $750? One word: “Prestige.” You’re paying for a brand name. Don’t be fooled. They’ll tell you that it’s all about the traditional “screen printing.” That was true 10 years ago. It’s not any longer. Digital printing wins every time now.
Our reccomendation
Set $90 as your minimum. A silk scarf is an amazingly versatile accessory that can feature routinely, year after year, as a staple of your identity. Good quality lets you wear it how you want (in your hair, as a top, as a necktie, as a handbag accessory) without it becoming ruined.
From there, it’s about the artwork (duh!). Do you love the print? Is it produced in small runs? Has the artist taken the time to work with negative space and colour harmony to provide you with an accessory that you can wear in 100 different ways, and every time you tie it, it somehow looks even better than the last?
How We Do It - The Kargede Way
We work the same premium quality as any luxury house into the scarf.
We design original artworks with a story behind each – no florals, no tired baroque prints, no Hermès lookalikes.
We produce limited runs of each, so you get to own 1 of 50, not 1 of 30,000.
We price them fairly at $145, because we’re all about the art, not the luxury price tag.
We send each and every one in a hand-packaged gift box with signature ribbon, so the moment feels as special as the piece itself.
FAQ
Are luxury scarves (e.g., Hermès) actually better quality?
Materially? No. If an independent brand uses 18 momme Grade 6A Silk Twill, they are using the exact same raw material as the heritage houses. The $600+ price difference pays for the brand’s history, the retail experience, and the inefficiencies of their traditional manufacturing—not a better fabric.
I bought a silk scarf for $30 retail. Is it Grade 6A?
Almost certainly not. The raw cost of Grade 6A silk is high. A genuine 6A scarf typically costs $25–$35 just to manufacture. If it is being sold to you for $30 retail, the math doesn’t work. It is likely a lower grade (3A/4A) or a synthetic blend mislabeled as silk.
How do I know if it’s real silk?
Do the Burn Test. Take a single loose thread and light it.
- Real Silk: Burns slowly, smells like burning hair, and crushes into a fine ash powder.
- Fake Silk (Polyester): Melts rapidly, smells like plastic/chemicals, and forms a hard, uncrushable bead.
How do I know if it’s Grade 6A?
Look at the surface under a light. Grade 6A is perfectly uniform. If you see tiny bumps (slubs), broken threads, or fuzzy patches, it is a lower grade made from shorter fibers. Grade 6A reflects light evenly; lower grades scatter light, looking “dull” in spots.
Does Digital Printing lower the value compared to Screen Printing?
No. This is an outdated myth. Modern high-penetration digital printing achieves the same color saturation and double-sided vibrancy as traditional screen printing, but with sharper detail. Heritage brands often stick to screen printing for tradition, not quality.
Why do "Hand-Rolled" hems matter?
A machine hem is flat and stiff. A hand-rolled hem (roulotté) is rolled tightly by an artisan’s fingers and stitched in place. It takes about 45 minutes per scarf. It creates a soft, tubular edge that drapes fluidly and doesn’t pucker. It is the single biggest indicator of expert manufacturing.
