How Warm Is Silk Underwear?

Silk underwear, like our Soft Silks Collection, is known for being luxurious and beautiful. But inquiring minds want to know: How warm is silk underwear?

“Silk as a fiber is similar to wool in that the fibers naturally regulate with your body temperature,” explains Samantha Benassai, head of product at Uwila Warrior. Unlike synthetic fibers that retain heat, silk won’t make you feel sweaty. “It has a breathability, and the formation of the fiber itself allows it to aerate more. It’s the natural characteristic of the fiber,” she says.

For more details on why silk panties are a fantastic choice in both warm and cold months, keep reading below.  

How warm is silk underwear?

Because silk is a natural thermal regulator, winter silk underwear will be your go-to. “When it’s cold out, the air that is trapped inside the fiber of the silk will keep your body heat closer to your body, so it will keep you warmer,” explains Benassai. 

We know what you’re thinking: Does that mean it keeps you too hot in summer? Actually, it’s quite the opposite. “Because of the structure of the fiber, it also aerates,” says Benassai. “So it will keep you cooler in the summer because it is moisture-wicking. So any heat or sweat on your body will aerate through the fiber and dissipate and keep you cooler.”

In other words, our silk underwear for women works to both keep you cooler when your body is hot, and warmer when your body is cold. “It sounds contradictory but it actually works in both ways,” confirms Benassai.

If you’re looking for silk underwear for warmth, we recommend our Soft Silk Briefs and High-Waisted Silk Briefs, which have more coverage (and won’t ride up, ever). You can also wear them in warm weather thanks to the reasons above. In warmer weather, silk thong panties like our Soft Silk Thong are a great choice when you want less coverage but all the benefits of wearing silk undergarments.

Why should you wear silk base layers?

Because of its temperature-regulating properties, you may have also worn silk long underwear. Our Silk Base Layer—made from 20% silk and 80% rayon—makes an excellent foundational piece if you’re looking for silk thermal underwear for skiing or other winter outdoor activities (and it even looks great on its own as a top). And if you’re looking for plus size silk long underwear, the Silk Base Layer comes in sizes up to 3XL. 

A man-made cellulosic fiber, rayon helps the Silk Base Layer maintain its shape, and it mimics the silk’s moisture-wicking properties. If you have negative preconceived notions about rayon, let us dispel those concerns: “It’s not the rayon of ‘70s. It has those performance properties while keeping the slinky handfeel that we like to the fabric,” says Benassai. 

The Silk Base Layer is sure to be one of your favorite women's silk underwear tops to reach for in all types of weather. “It will thermal regulate with the body so you won’t get sweat trapping because it wicks away the moisture,” she explains. “But it also has the ability to keep the heat to your body if you’re using it in a thermal capacity when the outside temperature is cooler than your core body temperature.”

Which is warmer: cotton or silk?

Believe it or not, silk has better functionality when it comes to warming the body thanks to its sweat-wicking abilities. “Cotton is hydrophilic, so it is attracted to water and retains that water,” says Benassai. “It’s just going to hold that moisture to the body. It’s not going to have a warming effect.” In other words, despite what you may have heard, “It’s not actually the best in terms of performance.”

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