What It Takes to Make Luxury Silk, Handmade in London



There is a ruler on a table beneath a railway arch in East London, and it has more say over Paradisefold than any trend report ever will.

Luxury gets talked about a lot. Gold lettering, heavy boxes, a price tag that makes you sit up. We think the real thing is simpler and much harder. Luxury is what happens when nobody takes a shortcut, even in the parts you will never see. Here is what that looks like for us, and why our new collection, Release, took exactly as long as it needed to.

It starts with the silk

Every Fold we make is cut from two layers of Grade 6A, 19 momme mulberry silk. Momme is simply a measure of silk weight and density, and a higher number means a richer, more durable cloth. Silk has been a luxury fabric for thousands of years, but it is far from all equal. The grade matters, the weight matters, and so does the second layer that makes a Fold gentler on your hair and longer lasting. Cheaper silk can look fine in a photo. It just will not feel the same against your hair.

Measured to the millimetre

Before anything leaves our factory, it is measured. Every piece is checked by our founder, Andrea, or one of our Quality Control team. Andrea says silk is special because you can hold it up to the light and lay a ruler across it. If a piece is three and a half millimetres out, you can do something her years advising governments in conflict zones never allowed. You can begin again.

That might sound like a strange thing to say about luxury, but we think it is the heart of it. Luxury is a willingness to start again.

Spot the New Prints

Keep an eye on the video above. Any print you spot is from our new collection, caught mid-making, long before it lands in your hands. Seeing the prints on the cutting table, in the light and under the ruler, is one of our favourite parts of the whole process.

Hands you could actually meet

Our factory sits under the railway arches in East London, a short walk from the estate where Andrea grew up. A dozen local people make their living there, and every piece is cut and sewn by hand in limited editions. Small runs mean every piece gets time and attention, and it means you are far less likely to spot your print on everyone else. Andrea is usually there too, with Bach playing on the radio.

Built to be looked after

Luxury should never be disposable. Every Paradisefold piece comes with a lifetime care guarantee, including free alterations and repairs for life. If a wrap needs mending or you want the fit tweaked, send it back and we will do our best to restore it. We also invest in capturing our carbon emissions, and we offset more than twice what we emit. Marie Claire described us as a net positive brand, which made us very happy. Giving back matters to us too, which is why we have partnered with Dress for Success, a charity that helps women reach economic independence.

What this means for Release

Our new collection, Release, is a meditation on new beginnings, and every part of it went under that ruler. There are six new Folds, from the floral blues of Dawn Botanica to Come Play With Me, inspired by Matisse and those blue and gold evening skies. There are reversible Turbans too, plus floral Pillowcases in Harmony, Carried and Fleur, and silk Clouds including a shooting star print in the Play Cloud. If you love a bigger statement, our Ready to Wear edit brings silk and wool trousers, skirts and embroidered coats, with the coats handmade to order.

So what does it take to make luxury? A beautiful fabric, a steady hand, a ruler, and the nerve to start again. We hope you can feel all of it. Thank you for being part of the Paradisefold story 💚


The Paradisefold Fold is a pure silk hair wrap handmade in London from two layers of Grade 6A, 19 momme mulberry silk, designed to keep your hair smooth, protected and frizz free while you sleep. Silk against your hair, all night long.

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