Above: Left to Right – Only Child, Everlane, Cuyana
Note: Updated September 2020 to reflect Cuyana’s new pricing.
While I love a simple, classic, fuss-free white t-shirt, I find myself gravitating towards silk and other textiles these days. Is it an age thing? Who knows. I’ve owned several silk pieces from Everlane and Equipment for years, and only recently started reaching for them more frequently. As I’ve explored silk blouse offerings from various brands, especially those that are ethical or sustainable, I wanted to share notes for those who may be on a similar hunt.
Before I jump into the comparisons, here are the factors I take into consideration:
- Price
- Momme Weight
- Made In / Manufacturing Location
- Notes (ex. sustainability, ethical supply chain, etc)
Ultimately, I am making my decisions on a weighted scale of the factors above. For example, being Made in China isn’t necessarily bad – if it’s also ethically produced (fair wages, good factory conditions) and is of higher sewing quality / consistency of quality.
What is Momme Weight?
You may be familiar with thread count for cotton – momme weight is a similar metric used to denote the quality of washed silk fabrics. Momme weight is the weight of 100 yards x 45 inches of silk in pounds. So a momme weight of 10mm means that 100 yards of that silk material weighs 10 lbs. Generally, silk will fall between a range of 6mm to 30mm – anything above 15mm is generally considered of good quality. More here on Wikipedia.
What I Reviewed
- Everlane Silk Tank (similar) – $68 (bought full price, multiple times)
- Cuyana Silk Tank – $135 (I had $115 in Thredup credit).
- Update: As of September 2020, Cuyana has lowered prices across many of their pieces. This tank is now only $95!
- Equipment Sleeveless Signature Slim Blouse – $195 (but bought from sample sale for $42)
- Amour Vert Berneen Blouse (similar) – $138 (bought on sale for $49)
- Only Child Cruz Top in Raw Silk (similar) – $140
tl;dr Comparison Table
| Brand | Price (Long Sleeve Example Price) | Momme Weight | Made In | Notes |
| Everlane | $$ ($98) | 16mm for Crepe de Chine & Clean Silk 26mm for Washable Silk | China | Read more about their Clean Silk process |
| Cuyana | $$$ ( | 22 – 25mm for 100% silk 30mm + for 3-ply silk | China | More about their silk origins Note: Cuyana recently lowered prices on select items (incl. silk) to improve accessibility |
| Equipment | $$$$ ($230) | 16mm Crepe de Chine | China | |
| Amour Vert | $$$ ($178) | 16mm Crepe de Chine | USA (SF Bay Area, CA) | Ethical & sustainable – more about their local factories. |
| Only Child | $$$ ($140) | Unsure, raw silk is not on mm system | USA (Oakland, CA) |
The Verdict
Below: All silk tops paired with Mott & Bow Bond Jeans & Birdies sandals. Black jeans worn to help show opacity of the different silk tops.
Amour Vert 
Only Child 
Equipment 
Everlane 
Cuyana
Budget Buy Winner: Everlane
With many of their pieces falling into the sub-$100 range, Everlane is the clear budget winner here. The only downside is that their lighter colored Clean Silk pieces tend to be a little sheer. I’d be curious to try out their Washable Silks, which are 26mm and shouldn’t have that issue (while only slightly more expensive!).
Quality Winner: Cuyana
The moment I touched their silk pieces in store, I could tell they were different. Super smooth to the touch and with a luxurious weight, there’s no concern with sheerness in their 3-ply pieces. Their quality comes at a price – a price I’m now willing to pay (just not too frequently!).
September 2020 Update: Given the new prices, the silk tank now sits sub-$100 – a perfect balance between budget and quality. This is now my overall winner!
Style Winner: Amour Vert
When it comes to beautiful, rich prints and floral designs, Amour Vert wins hands down. For solid silks, I would probably go with Everlane or Cuyana with the exception of dresses, which are often double lined and not that much more expensive despite the extra fabric. I reviewed my silk prints and dresses over here.
Functionality & Slow Fashion Winner: Only Child
The newest brand in my closet, I first discovered Only Child just a few weeks ago. Based in and made in Oakland, CA on a made-to-order cadence, they practice slow fashion, a process I can get behind. I love that their raw silk is machine washable and very opaque, making it functional for everyday use.
Lastly…
Sorry, Equipment. I’ve had my blouses for years, and they were the OG long-sleeve chest pocket blouse trendsetter – but their steep price can’t be justified when there are so many other brands in the same space!
