Momme, measured on finished fabric — not on greige
One momme is 4.34 g/m². That is the whole unit. The complication is that momme can be measured before or after degumming, and degumming takes 22–28% of the weight out (Materials, 2023). That is why two suppliers can both quote “22 momme” and ship you cloth of visibly different weight. This page gives the conversion numbers, the use-case bands, and the five questions that close the gap.
The part most sourcing pages leave out
Silk filament is held together by sericin, a gum protein. It is 22–28% of the raw cloth’s weight, and it comes out in degumming. A fabric weighed at 22 momme in greige therefore finishes near 16–17 momme. Both figures are true; only one describes what you will cut. When a quotation states a momme figure, ask which side of the degumming bath it was measured on — this single question explains most of the price gap between two quotes that look identical on paper.
Three words, defined
Momme is a weight unit for silk cloth: one momme is 4.34 grams per square metre, so the unit itself never varies between suppliers. Sericin is the gum protein that binds the two fibroin filaments in a cocoon, and it accounts for 25–30% of raw silk weight (Materials, 2023). Degumming is the hot, mildly alkaline bath that dissolves that gum, and it is the step where the weight disappears.
For example, a 19 momme dupioni quoted on greige finishes near 14 momme once the gum is out, which is the difference between a skirt that holds its A-line and one that collapses. Weigh the same cloth on the two sides of the bath and you have two honest numbers that describe different garments.
For example, a buyer who specifies 16 momme for a bias-cut dress is really specifying how the cloth falls. Ask for the finished-weight figure and a tolerance band, then cut a trial length before the bulk order is confirmed.
Momme to GSM, and what each weight is for
GSM is the unit most testing labs report. Momme is the unit the silk trade uses. They are the same measurement in different clothes. The conversion factor is fixed: 1 momme = 4.3406 g/m², so 19 momme is 82.5 g/m² and 22 momme is 95.5 g/m².
| Momme | Approx. GSM | Typical cloth | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mm | 21.7 | Chiffon, light habotai | Veils, linings, overlays |
| 8 mm | 34.7 | Habotai, georgette | Scarves, linings, light blouses |
| 10 mm | 43.4 | Habotai, light georgette | Linings, summer shirts |
| 12 mm | 52.1 | Georgette, light crepe | Blouses, fluid dresses |
| 14 mm | 60.8 | Stretch satin (light end), twill | Soft tailoring, scarves |
| 16 mm | 69.4 | Dupioni (light), satin | Dresses, shirts, large scarves |
| 19 mm | 82.5 | Dupioni, satin, stretch satin | Structured dresses, bridal |
| 22 mm | 95.5 | Heavy satin, 22 momme dupioni | Gowns, premium bedding |
| 25 mm | 108.5 | Heavy satin, faille | Ball gowns, structured bodices |
| 30 mm | 130.2 | Mikado, heavy duchesse | Sculpted bridal, couture |
| 40 mm | 173.6 | Upholstery weight, canvas | Interiors, structural pieces |
Conversion: 1 momme = 4.3406 g/m². GSM figures are rounded to one decimal and describe nominal cloth, not a specific lot.
The five weight bands, and what fails in each
5–8 momme
Light and semi-sheer. Fine as a lining that has to disappear, or a veil layer. Below 14 momme the cloth is fragile under repeated abrasion — a lining at 5 momme will wear through at the armhole before the outer cloth shows any sign of use.
10–16 momme
The blouse and scarf zone. Fluid, opaque enough for a single layer, and forgiving to cut. Most silk scarves sit at 12–16 momme; anything lighter reads as tissue and anything heavier will not knot.
16–19 momme
Where cloth starts to hold a line. This is the working range for dresses that need structure without weight — and the range where a supplier's honesty about greige versus finished measurement changes what you actually receive.
19–22 momme
Bridal and gown territory, and the band buyers most often ask for by number. At 19 momme a dupioni holds a bodice edge; at 22 it carries a sculpted seam without interfacing.
25–40 momme
Architectural. Heavy satins, mikado, duchesse, upholstery. These cloths do not drape so much as stand, and they require different construction — heavier needles, longer stitch, and seams that are pressed rather than eased.
Momme is not grade, and grade is not momme
These two numbers get used as if one implies the other. They are independent, and the combination is what you are actually buying. Grade is set on the yarn under GB/T 1797-2008 (Standardization Administration of China, 2008), which is a different measurement from the cloth weight a mill quotes in momme.
Grade — 4A / 5A / 6A
A property of the filament: evenness, cleanness and neatness. Decided at reeling, before any cloth exists. Explains whether the finished fabric will show barré, slubs or a dull cast after dyeing.
Momme — 5 to 40
A property of the cloth: mass per unit area. Decided at weaving and finishing. Explains whether the fabric falls, holds or collapses, and how much silk you are paying for per metre.
A 6A yarn woven at 30 momme is the top of the market. A 6A yarn woven at 8 momme still has excellent filament but almost no body. A low-grade yarn at 30 momme is heavy and will still band in the dye bath. Buyers who specify only one of the two numbers are each holding half a specification — the fibre side is covered in the 4A/5A/6A guide.
Where our nine products sit
The ranges below are the bands we weave and quote. The figure on your quotation should be the band for your specific lot, measured on the side of degumming that matches what you will receive.
| Habotai | 5–12 momme |
|---|---|
| Georgette | 8–16 momme |
| Satin | 10–30 momme |
| Silk stretch satin | 14–28 momme |
| Dupioni | 16–19 standard, up to 21–22 on request |
| Jacquard Luo | Follows the base cloth |
| Silk blend | Follows the blend |
| Greige fabric | Follows the base weave, undyed |
| Raw silk yarn | Measured in denier — 20/22D — not momme |
Five questions that close the momme gap
- 1Was this figure measured on greige or on finished cloth?
- 2What is the tolerance band, not the single figure?
- 3Which test method produced it, and is there a report?
- 4Does the figure hold after dyeing and finishing?
- 5What width does the figure refer to?
A supplier who answers all five without irritation is quoting from records. A supplier who answers only the first one is quoting from memory. The distinction matters most on repeat orders, where weight drift usually appears in the second lot.
Momme questions buyers actually ask
What does momme mean in silk?
Momme (mm) is a Japanese weight unit used for silk cloth. One momme equals 4.34 grams per square metre, so a 19 momme satin weighs roughly 82 g/m². It is a measure of the woven cloth, not of the fibre quality — grade (4A, 5A, 6A) describes the filament, momme describes the fabric.
What is 22 momme silk used for?
22 momme is a heavy, high-end weight used for gowns, structured bridal and premium bedding. It sits above the general apparel range and below the architectural cloths: a dress at 22 momme holds its own shape, whereas the same dress at 16 momme follows the body. It is also the weight where buyers most often discover they were quoted a greige figure that finishes several momme lighter.
Why does momme change between greige and finished fabric?
Raw silk is coated in sericin, a gum protein that holds the filament together during reeling. Degumming removes it, and it accounts for roughly 22–28% of the cloth's weight. So a fabric described as 22 momme in greige can finish at around 16–17 momme once the gum is out. A supplier quoting a greige figure without saying so is not lying, but the number does not describe what you will cut.
Is higher momme always better?
No. Momme is a fit question before it is a quality question. A 30 momme satin makes a poor scarf because it will not knot; a 6 momme habotai makes a poor ball gown because it will not hold a seam. Higher momme costs more because it uses more silk per square metre — which is a price fact, not a quality verdict.
How do I convert momme to GSM?
Multiply momme by 4.34. So 19 momme is about 82 g/m², 22 momme about 95 g/m², and 30 momme about 130 g/m². The reverse — GSM divided by 4.34 — gives momme. Note that GSM measured on greige and GSM measured on finished cloth are different numbers for the same fabric.
What is the difference between momme and denier?
Denier measures yarn; momme measures cloth. 20/22 denier describes the thickness of the raw silk filament before it is woven. Momme describes how much the finished woven fabric weighs per unit area. Raw silk yarn is sold in denier, and woven silk is sold in momme — a supplier who quotes woven fabric in denier is using the wrong unit.
What should I ask a supplier about momme?
Five things. Whether the figure is measured on greige or finished cloth. The tolerance band rather than a single number. The test method used. Whether the figure holds after dyeing. And what the width is, since momme and width are usually quoted together and a narrow roll at the same momme costs more per running metre.
Continue through the sourcing guides
Ask for the weight on the finished side
Tell us the garment and the hand you want, and we will quote the weight band measured on finished cloth — with the tolerance and the width stated. Samples carry no material charge; you cover the courier.
Sources and method
Methodology: the conversion factor is arithmetic, one momme to 4.34 g/m², and does not depend on a source. The sericin fraction and the degumming weight loss come from the peer-reviewed measurement cited above, and the 22–28% working range is narrower than the published 25–30% sericin share because some gum remains after commercial degumming. The finished-weight examples are stated as arithmetic on that range, not as measurements of a specific roll. Where a figure would depend on a particular mill's process, the page says so rather than presenting it as a constant.
- Materials (MDPI): Historical Silk: A Novel Method to Evaluate Degumming with Non-Invasive Infrared Spectroscopy and Spectral Deconvolution (2023). Sericin accounts for 25–30% of raw silk weight, and degumming removes up to 25% of the weight, which is the basis for the greige-versus-finished gap on this page.
- Standardization Administration of China: GB/T 1797-2008 生丝 (Raw silk) (2008). The grading and denier notation used when a quotation states a raw silk specification alongside a fabric weight.
- Yizhou District Government: Yizhou district profile (2023). The reeling capacity behind the mulberry silk used for the weights discussed here.
Reviewed by the Christopher Bu editorial team. Corrections and sourcing queries go to the B2B team, and the editorial standard is the same one used on the about page.