What Size Silk Pillowcase Do I Need? (NZ Standard, Queen, King)
For most pillows in New Zealand, you want the NZ Standard size, about 51 × 75 cm — the size the great majority of pillows here take. There's one quirk worth knowing up front: this size is often labelled "Queen" on pillowcases, which causes no end of confusion, so don't be thrown when you see it. If your pillows are the smaller American size, you'll want a USA Standard, about 51 × 65 cm instead. The golden rule cuts through all the naming: measure your pillow (or read its tag) and match the case, because a silk pillowcase should fit snugly, not loose. Here's how to get it right.
What size silk pillowcase do I need?
In New Zealand, the safe default is the NZ Standard (≈ 51 × 75 cm), because that's the size of a standard NZ pillow — the one most beds come with. Reach for a different size only if you know your pillows are unusual: the smaller USA Standard (≈ 51 × 65 cm) for American-made pillows, or a larger king case if you sleep on long king pillows (around 50 × 90 cm). When in doubt, NZ Standard is the one that fits most people here — but the only way to be certain is to measure, which takes ten seconds.
NZ pillow and pillowcase sizes, explained
The naming is genuinely confusing, so here's the plain version. A standard New Zealand pillow is roughly 48–51 cm by 73–75 cm, and the pillowcase made for it is what we call NZ Standard — often, frustratingly, printed as "Queen" (≈ 51 × 75 cm) on the label. The USA Standard (≈ 51 × 65 cm) is a touch shorter, made for American pillows. And a King pillowcase (≈ 50 × 90 cm) fits the long king pillows some people use across a king bed. The lesson: don't shop by the word alone — "Queen", "Standard" and the rest mean different things to different makers, so the centimetres are what matter.
How to measure your pillow
It's the surest way to choose, and it's quick. Lay the pillow flat and measure it edge to edge: the shorter side is the width, the longer side the length, in centimetres. If the pillow is very plump, measure it as it sits rather than squashing it flat, since a fuller pillow effectively needs a touch more room. Compare your two numbers to the case sizes above and pick the closest match. Easier still, many pillows have the size on their care tag — a glance there often settles it without a tape measure at all.
Why a snug fit matters with silk
Size matters more with a silk pillowcase than you might think. Too large and the case slides and bunches on the pillow through the night, so the smooth surface your hair and skin are meant to glide over keeps shifting and rucking up — undoing the very benefit you bought it for. Too small and you'll fight to get the pillow in, and the case sits strained and is more likely to wear at the seams. A well-matched case sits smooth and stays put, which is exactly what makes silk feel so good against your face. (If you're also choosing between an envelope or zip closure, that affects how snugly a fuller pillow sits, too.)
Getting the right size, the easy way
Put together, it's simple: in New Zealand, choose NZ Standard (≈ 51 × 75 cm) unless you've measured and found your pillows are smaller (USA Standard) or king-length. Match the centimetres, not the marketing word; favour a snug fit; and check the size on the product page or size chart before you buy. And remember the quality underneath matters most — a perfectly-sized case is only worth having if it's genuine 22-momme mulberry silk.
Our LS Silk NZ mulberry silk pillowcases come in NZ Standard and other sizes, each clearly measured in centimetres on the product page — 22-momme, 100% mulberry silk and OEKO-TEX certified, so you can match the fit to your pillow with confidence.
Sizing a silk pillowcase, then, comes down to one habit: trust the centimetres, not the name on the label. Measure your pillow, choose NZ Standard if you're like most people here, and you'll have a case that lies smooth and does exactly what good silk is meant to do.