It is ten o'clock, the book is open, and the only thing on your mind should be the next chapter. Not the waistband. Not the seam at the collar. Not the fact that you are too warm, again.
Fabric decides most of that. Cotton, modal and silk each feel different against the skin, wash differently and age differently. Here is how they compare, and what we chose for our own pajamas.
Cotton
Cotton is the fabric most of us grew up sleeping in. It breathes, it takes a hot wash without complaint, and it has a crisp, matte feel, especially woven as a poplin. The trade-off is that it can come out of the dryer stiff and wrinkled, and a plain weave can pill where arms and legs rub. If you run warm and like a pajama that feels pressed rather than draped, cotton is a good place to start.
Modal
Modal is spun from beech wood pulp into a fiber that is smooth, cool to the touch and drapes rather than holds a shape. It feels softer than cotton, resists shrinking and takes dye well, which matters when the print is the point. On its own it can cling and stretch. Blended with cotton, it keeps the softness and gains some structure.
Silk
Silk is the indulgence. It is light and smooth with a sheen that cotton and modal do not have, and it feels cool on a warm night. It also asks a lot. Most silk pajamas are hand wash or dry clean only, they show water spots, and they cost far more than cotton or modal. We think of silk as the special occasion set, not the pair you reach for every night, and we do not sell silk pajamas.
Which One Is Right for You
If you sleep hot and like a crisp feel, look for cotton, or a blend with plenty of cotton in it. Choose modal, or a modal and cotton blend, if softness comes first and you want a set that wears in rather than out. Choose silk for a once-in-a-while luxury you are happy to hand wash.
What We Chose
Most of our pajama sets, including the Nashville Toile in these photos, are a 50/50 blend of modal and cotton. Cotton for breathability and a little structure, modal for softness and drape, and together they carry a hand-illustrated print wash after wash. Every set has piping at the collar and cuffs, a chest pocket and an elastic waist with a ribbon tie, and most prints run XXS to 3XL. A few prints use a rayon and Tencel blend instead, so check the fabric line on the product page.
Care is simple: machine wash cold, tumble dry low. The blend gets softer with every wash.
Add a monogram to the front left chest pocket and a set becomes a gift. Start with our Modal and Cotton Pajama Sets.
