For the longest time, silk durags were the only option. People only had to bother with what color or style they wanted. You wouldn’t have to struggle to decide what’s best for your 360 waves.
Today, that struggle is a reality for many people, as there are now more options to choose from—velvet, polyester, cotton, mesh, and silk durags. Some are a blend of these different materials.
However, you’d find that of all the durag materials available now, silk durags and velvet durags stand out as the most sought-after in hair care and fashion communities.
For some, whichever is available would do either job just fine. But understandably, for many others, there is some sort of dilemma when choosing the right durag.
It’s the whole “iPhone vs. Android” debate but with durags.
Velvet durags or silk durags? Which is better? Why is it better?
Interestingly, just like the iPhone vs. Android phones debate, the durag to choose is assessed across various merits.
Today, we will explore both durags based on their key merits, starting with velvet durags.
Velvet Durags
Fun fact: Did you know velvet materials were originally made from silk?
As time went on, velvet materials were made from other materials like wool, cotton, synthetic fibers, silk-cotton blends, etc.
Technically, the silk durag vs. velvet durag comparison almost feels tautological. But if you feel the texture of both materials, you can immediately tell there’s a stark difference.
Accordingly, the difference extends across the following factors.
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Material composition and texture: The exterior of velvet durags comprise of slightly thick, suede material that makes it feel heavier than silk durags. On the other hand, the interior is typically made of light satin material that feels smooth to touch.
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Lay: The thickness of velvet durags makes them feel somewhat bulky on the head. Add that to the fact that they’re also stretchier; you have a durag that ends up loosening up more easily. If you are used to wearing durags all day or to sleep, you may find that this attribute means you’ll have to adjust or retie your durag more often.
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Moisture retention: Although velvet durags have satin lining to help with locking in moisture, they are comparatively less effective in ensuring prolonged moisture retention. The velvet material feels towel-like, therefore absorbing more water.
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Hair protection and comfort: Velvet durags offer some hair protection and comfort. But comparatively, because they are bulkier and thicker, a field of friction often forms between velvet durags and hair. This could make velvet durags feel less comfortable for prolonged wear.
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Hair compression: Velvet durags aren’t particularly popular for being able to lay flat and steady on hair. As a result, they don’t compress waves as well as silk durags.
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Fashion and styling: Velvet durags are generally more fashionable. In fact, they are widely considered to be more fashionable than silks. To hit that point home, there are more stylish velvet durags in the market today than silky variants.
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Warmth: You guessed right; the thickness/bulkiness of velvet durags makes them more functional and equally fashionable during winter. A velvet durag can keep your head warmer in winter.
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Durability: Top-quality velvet durags are durable. You can count on using your favorite velvet durag for a very long time.
Silk Durags
Silk durags available in the market today are generally made of silk-satin blends, which makes them a lustrous, smooth, and equally luxurious fabric.
So, how do silk durags compare to velvet durags?
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Material composition and texture: Silk satin durags are far lighter and smoother than velvet durags. The silk-satin blend makes the durags more breathable and also makes them look and feel glossy or shimmery.
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Lay: Because of their lightness, silk durags are quite drapey. Essentially, they can easily lay super flat and steady on your head. This is an attribute you may find helpful if you are used to going to bed with your durag to maintain your waves.
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Moisture retention: Given that silk durags are generally lightweight and breathable, they can lock in more moisture.
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Hair protection and comfort: The lightness and breathability of silk durags make them gentler on hair. Hence, there is less friction between your hair and the durag, resulting in less breakage while keeping the waves flowing.
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Hair compression: Silk durags have an easier conformity when worn. More importantly, they are able to fit tight while equally being gentle on hair. This makes them great for compressing your 360 waves.
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Fashion and styling: Although silk durags have a luxurious feel, there is something about their lightness that makes them feel casual.
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Warmth: The breathability of silk durags is one of their top qualities. However, that’s not a very desirable quality during winter.
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Durability: Many people argue that because silk durags are generally light, they are not very durable.
Note: 100% silk durags do not especially make for good durags as they are heavier and bulkier (than even velvet materials), which makes it difficult to conform to being tied or laying flat and steady on the head.
Conclusion: Velvet Durags or Silk Durags?
Comparing velvet durags vs. silk durags across these eight points, one could easily point out that silky durags are generally more functional than velvety durags.
However, when it comes to being more fashionable and stylish, velvet durags take the cake.
Hence, if you are all about having the most 360 of all 360 waves, it makes sense to go for the more functional silk durags. But if you’re all about popular fashion, you should stock up on some velvet durags.
Stuck between keeping your waves spinning and looking fly? You can always use a silk durag as your first layer and a velvet durag as your upper layer.
In conclusion, the matter of choosing between a velvet durag and a silk durag all boils down to personal preference—what you need a durag for at the given time.
It is always better to have both types of durags at home, for when you need them.
