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Best Pillowcases for Hair
Silky Pillowcases for Smooth Locks
Many shoppers pick pillowcases based on how the product looks and feels, but it’s also helpful to consider how a pillowcase helps your hair. People with brittle hair or problematic tangles can benefit from pillowcase fabric that glides over the hair, reducing the friction that can lead to frizz and breakage.
Pillowcases can play an important role in the health of your hair. Sleepers with hair that is prone to tangling, frizzing, or breakage may benefit from a pillowcase that reduces friction against the hair at night.
Certain fabrics, such as silk or sateen-woven cotton, have a smooth feel that is less abrasive against your hair. This results in fewer tangles and less overall wear and tear. Fabrics that don’t wick moisture are also ideal, since they allow hair to retain moisture overnight as opposed to drying out. This makes the strands less susceptible to breaking.
We’ll highlight our top picks for pillowcases for hair and explain the benefits of each pillowcase. Our choices are based on fabric, feel, temperature neutrality, and pricing.
The Best Pillowcases for Hair
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Best Overall
Cozy Earth Bamboo Pillowcases
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Best Machine Washable Silk
Blissy Pillowcase
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Best Value
Quince 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
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Best Cooling
Buffy Breeze Pillowcases
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Best Eco-Friendly
Avocado Silk Pillowcase
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Best All-Season
Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
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In-Depth Reviews
Best Overall
Cozy Earth Bamboo Pillowcases
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The Cozy Earth Bamboo Pillowcase is soft, smooth, and breathable — a winning combination for sleepers concerned about hair breakage and frizziness. You can choose from three sizes, including a body pillow option, and more than a dozen colors.
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Pros
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Bamboo-derived viscose fabric is remarkably soft and smooth
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Envelope closure helps your pillow maintain a full shape
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Exceptional breathability and moisture control
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Cons
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Not ideal for sleepers who prefer crisp pillowcase fabric
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Limited color selection for the body pillow size
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Price
$89
Material
100% viscose derived from bamboo
If protecting your hair is the top priority during your search for new bedding, the Cozy Earth Bamboo Pillowcase checks all of the important boxes. The bamboo-derived viscose fabric is soft and silky-smooth, ensuring a gentle glide that won’t lead to tangles or frizziness. A sateen weave enhances these qualities. This pillowcase is also a great match for people with sensitive skin.
Breathability is a major highlight of the Bamboo Pillowcase, as the fabric doesn’t retain much heat and wicks moisture away from your skin. Pairing the case with a cooling pillow should prove to be a good combo for hot sleepers. The thoughtful construction includes an envelope-style closure, so your pillow should remain intact to provide full loft and shape throughout the night.
Since the case is fully machine-washable, it’s also easy to keep clean. Cozy Earth’s viscose fabric is engineered to resist wear and tear. If you notice pilling within the first few years of ownership, contact the company — this is listed as a defect under your 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. A wide range of rotating colors lets you choose between neutrals, earth tones, and accent hues. Following proper care instructions is the best way to preserve the original color over time.
The case is also available in standard and king sizes, as well as a longer option for body pillows. Given the case’s high-quality composition and long expected lifespan, its sticker price is very reasonable. Cozy Earth also offers free ground shipping for all U.S. orders and a generous 100-night trial and return period.
Best Machine Washable Silk
Blissy Pillowcase
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The Blissy Pillowcase has a silk design that helps reduce hair tangles and breakage at night. We especially like that this pillowcase is completely machine-washable, which makes it easier to care for than many other kinds of silk bedding.
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Pros
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22-momme mulberry silk feels cool to the touch
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Machine-washable for quick, easy care
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More than 40 color and pattern options
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Cons
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Expensive pricing may deter shoppers with limited budgets
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Customers must pay return shipping costs
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Price
$90
Material
100% mulberry silk
If you’re looking for a pillowcase that feels as luxurious as it looks, we recommend the Blissy Pillowcase. The high-quality silk is cool to the touch, and its smoothness is ideal for reducing tangles and minimizing hair breakage at night.
The pillowcase is composed of 100% mulberry silk, which is the most common type of silk used in bedding. The 22-momme weight gives the pillowcase a lightweight feel with a touch of heft. The smoothness of the silk reduces the amount of friction between the pillowcase and your hair, which can help prevent tangles and overall wear and tear on the strands.
The Blissy Pillowcase is available in a range of colors and patterns. You can choose between standard, queen, and king sizes. While some silk bedding requires hand-washing and air drying, the Blissy Pillowcase is machine-washable. Be sure to use cool water on a delicate cycle and then dry on a low-heat setting.
Blissy offers a 60-day sleep trial for you to try out the pillowcase at home. You may return the pillowcase during this timeframe for a refund, minus return shipping charges. Initial shipping is free.
Best Value
Quince 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase
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The Quince Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is made with high-quality materials and is available at a fraction of the price of many competing luxury pillowcases. The smooth, cool fabric provides a luxurious feel that can help keep hair from tangling during sleep.
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Pros
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Mulberry silk offers a smooth, cool feel
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22-momme weight promotes elegant drape
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Attractive price-point
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Cons
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Zipper closure may cause discomfort
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Machine-washing is not recommended
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Price
$40
Material
100% mulberry silk
Quince is known for producing high-quality bedding and clothing at affordable prices, and the Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is no exception. It has a durable, luxurious design at a price-point that beats much of the competition.
The pillowcase is composed of 100% mulberry silk with a 22-momme weight. The fabric feels soft and cool to the touch and has a sophisticated drape. This silk is less abrasive than materials like cotton and linen, which can help reduce frizz and tangles in your hair while you sleep. Additionally, since silk does not absorb moisture as effectively as other materials, it allows your hair to retain oils and moisture overnight. This can help prevent the breakage that can occur when hair rubs against the fabric of your pillowcase.
The Quince Mulberry Pillowcase has a zippered closure. It comes in queen/standard and king sizes, as well as seven color options. Quince recommends hand-washing the pillowcase to extend its lifespan, but you may also machine-wash it in cold water on a gentle cycle and then let it air dry.
Quince offers free shipping in the U.S. The pillowcase comes with a generous 365-night sleep trial, during which you may return the pillowcase for a full refund.
Best Cooling
Buffy Breeze Pillowcases
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These luxurious Buffy pillowcases are composed of Tencel, a fabric prized for its softness, breathability, and resistance to wear and tear. You can choose from more than a dozen solid colors and patterns, each one created using natural dyes.
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Pros
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Tencel lyocell fabric is luxuriously soft and smooth
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Exceptional cooling and moisture control
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Available in a wide range of colors and patterns rendered from natural dyes
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Cons
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Minimal insulation on chilly nights
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Not ideal for people who prefer crisp bedding
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Price
$55
Material
100% Tencel lyocell
Buffy specializes in sleep products constructed from breathable materials. The Breeze Pillowcases are no exception. Each set includes two cases made of Tencel lyocell, a eucalyptus-derived textile that retains the natural cooling properties of its botanical source. This material also wicks moisture away from your body while you sleep.
Tencel is also exceptionally soft and smooth, much like silk but without the steep price tag. This helps ensure a comfortable night’s sleep for anyone with sensitive skin, as well as protection for your hair. A sateen weave heightens the fabric’s gentle hand-feel. Although designed with the Buffy Breeze in mind, you can use the cases with any standard or king size pillows.
In addition to these two sizes, the cases are available in 10 solid colors and four multi-tone patterns. Buffy uses natural materials like turmeric, rose petals, bark, and gardenia to create these designs. As an added incentive for eco-conscious individuals, the pillowcases are fully biodegradable and don’t need to be thrown away at the end of their lifespans. To clean the cases, machine wash them in cold water and tumble dry on low heat.
Approachable pricing and free shipping within the contiguous U.S. make the Breeze Pillowcases a good option for shoppers on a budget. Buffy does not charge your credit card for one week after the pillowcases are delivered, giving you an opportunity to test them out for a few nights before making a financial commitment. After the first week, you can still return the cases within 50 nights and receive a full refund.
Best Eco-Friendly
Avocado Silk Pillowcase
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When it comes to eco-conscious products, Avocado has one of the best track records in the sleep product industry. In addition to keeping moisture in your hair overnight, the brand’s Silk Pillowcase comes with certifications indicating that its materials are organic and free of common harmful chemicals.
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Pros
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22-momme silk has a smooth texture
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Several color options
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Machine-washable design
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Cons
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Potentially too expensive for shoppers on a budget
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Machine-drying is not recommended
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Price
$85
Material
100% mulberry silk
Avocado has a reputation for producing beds and bedding using organic materials and sustainable practices — with the certification to back it up. If eco-friendly production is a priority for you, we recommend the Avocado Silk Pillowcase for its premium feel and eco-conscious construction.
The 100% mulberry silk design gives the pillowcase a luxurious, lightweight feel. At a weight of 22 mommes, it is durable and substantial, with an elegant sheen. Its cool feel is ideal for hot sleepers. Silk does not wick moisture like some other fabrics do, which means it may prevent your hair from drying out overnight. This can also help reduce frizziness and brittleness.
The Avocado Silk Pillowcase has an envelope enclosure that gives the pillowcase a seamless look. It also includes a mesh bag for washing. The bag is made of GOTS-certified cotton and comes in navy, pink, white, gray, beige, and macchiato. You can choose between standard, queen, and king sizes. The pillowcase is machine-washable on a gentle cycle in cool water, but it will need to air dry.
Avocado offers a 100-night sleep trial so you can try the pillowcase at home. It is also backed by a one-year warranty.
The Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is cool to the touch and has strong temperature-regulating properties, so it’s a good option for hot sleepers who want to protect their hair year-round. The one-year sleep trial is also one of the longest we’ve seen for bedding products.
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Pros
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May sleep cooler than pillowcases made of other materials
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Available in multiple colors and patterns
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One-year sleep trial
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Cons
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Expensive pricing can be a barrier for some shoppers
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Pillowcase should not be machine-dried
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Price
$69
Material
100% mulberry silk
The Mulberry Silk Pillowcase from Brooklinen is a reasonably priced silk pillowcase that feels soft and cool to the touch. With its strong thermoregulating properties, this pillowcase is a good fit for sleepers who prefer bedding they can use throughout the year without overheating.
The pillowcase is composed of 100% mulberry silk that combines natural breathability with insulating properties. The silk feels cool and won’t trap heat around your head and body, making the pillowcase comfortable in different climates and seasons. The smooth feel also reduces friction against your hair at night, which in turn can reduce breakages.
You can choose between standard and king sizes in an array of colors and patterns. The pillowcase is machine-washable in cold water, but it should be laid flat for drying.
Compared to other silk pillowcases, the Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase has a competitive price-point. Shipping is also free in the U.S. for orders over $100. Brooklinen offers a generous one-year sleep trial, during which you may return the pillowcase for a full refund.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our team at Sleep Foundation has years of experience performing hands-on tests for hundreds of sleep products, including sheets, pillowcases, pillows, and blankets. When evaluating bedding, we take into account various factors such as the feel of a fabric, temperature neutrality, difficulty of care, and price-points. Because of our familiarity with pillowcase materials and construction, we are able to determine what types of sleepers are best suited to each pillowcase.
Which Pillowcase Types Are Best for Hair?
Both natural and synthetic materials can benefit hair health. Silk, Tencel, and satin are examples of materials that have smooth surfaces that protect hair from breakage and frizz. That said, each has different qualities that affect how well they are suited for your particular needs.
Silk
Silk has long been a popular natural fiber for pillowcases and sheets, chosen for its luxurious feel and appearance. Silk is also one of the most expensive materials used in pillowcases. Its smooth surface minimizes friction against hair and reduces damage and frizz while helping hair retain its natural oils.
Satin
Although often thought of as a type of fabric, satin is actually a weave that is used to join various types of fibers, such as silk, polyester, nylon, rayon, or acetate. Satin has a shiny and slippery surface. Its smooth texture is gentle on hair and helps prevent excessive drying or breakage.
Bamboo-Derived Materials
Bamboo is a natural, sustainable material that is chemically and mechanically processed into fabrics such as rayon, viscose, and lyocell. For bedding, these bamboo-derived fabrics are often used instead of silk due to their light, breathable hand feel and notable softness.
Microfiber
Microfiber is a synthetic fabric that is usually made of polyester. It is constructed with incredibly fine fibers that are thinner than silk. Microfiber has a plush, very lightly textured feel. It is often easy to wash but can retain more heat than silk or bamboo.
Best Thread Count for a Pillowcase
Thread count tells you how many threads are woven into a square inch of fabric. It’s often looked at as a general indicator of fabric quality, but a higher thread count doesn’t necessarily mean a better pillowcase. The type of fiber used to make the fabric has a greater impact on its overall performance and feel than thread count alone.
In addition, optimal thread count varies based on the material and weave. A cotton sateen weave can have a thread count as high as 600, whereas high-end Egyptian cotton may have a 300 to 400 thread count. With silk and linen, the fabric’s weight often carries more importance than the thread count. For all these reasons, you should consider the thread count within the context of a pillowcase’s overall composition when deciding whether a pillowcase is the right choice for your pillow.
What to Look For in a Pillowcase For Hair
When shopping for a pillowcase that will protect your hair, you should consider important features such as quality, price, design, and size. Each of these affects a pillowcase’s performance and helps determine its suitability for you.
Material
The type of material dramatically impacts a pillowcase’s feel and ability to protect hair. Pillowcases made of silk, bamboo-derived fabrics, satin, and microfiber are designed for smoothness and minimal friction. This reduces hair damage such as breakage, frizz, and split ends that can occur with less slick materials.
Quality
The quality of a pillowcase’s materials and construction directly affects its performance, feel, and price. High-quality products typically have a more luxurious feel for a more comfortable sleep experience. They also usually have more longevity, maintaining their benefits over a longer period of time despite daily use and regular washing.
Thread Count
A higher thread count can indicate a tighter weave and may last longer. Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that thread count is far from the sole determinant of a pillowcase’s performance, feel, or durability. Even with a lower thread count, a pillowcase with high-end materials can still effectively promote healthier hair.
Price
Pillowcases come in a wide range of prices. To quickly cut down your list of options, assess your budget and decide what you feel comfortable paying. Keep in mind that a higher-quality pillowcase will usually last longer.
Size
A pillowcase should match your pillow’s size for optimal fit, appearance, and performance. A pillowcase that is too small simply won’t work because it won’t cover your pillow. A pillowcase that is too big can look awkward and may cause fabric to bunch up and become uncomfortable.
Design
Appearance doesn’t always affect a pillowcase’s performance, but it can contribute to a calming and comforting sleep environment. With many colors, textures, and patterns to choose from, you can choose a pillowcase that enhances your preferred bedroom decor. A bedding set simplifies this process by including matching sheets and pillowcases.
Ease of Care
Since pillowcases should be washed regularly, it’s important to choose one that has care requirements that won’t feel burdensome to you. Washing silk pillowcases, for example, requires gentle handling to prevent damage, whereas synthetic fabrics are more low maintenance. Check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions before deciding on a pillowcase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shopping for pillowcases may sound simple, but it can raise a number of questions. Having the key background information can give you confidence and peace of mind when you’re evaluating different products.
Smooth, non-absorbent material that generates minimal friction and stress is the best option for a pillowcase for protecting hair. Top choices include silk, satin, bamboo-derived textiles, and microfiber.
Silk is considered especially soothing, as it is less likely to absorb oils that keep your hair moisturized and healthy. This results in less frizz and fewer split ends.
Both silk and satin pillowcases can support healthy hair. Technically, a satin pillowcase can be made with silk since satin is a type of weave whereas silk is a kind of material. A combination of a silk pillowcase with a satin weave is a top-tier option for reducing strain on hair during sleep, but this type of pillowcase may be out of reach for many budgets. Satin pillowcases can be made with materials other than silk, and these materials are often soft and smooth to protect hair.
Still have questions?
Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market.
Send an email to [email protected] with your questions and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Danny is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with an in-depth knowledge of sleep health. He has tested hundreds of mattresses and sleep products.