Which size pillowcase do I need?

October 13, 2026

You have picked a colour, and then comes the question you would rather have skipped: which size? A pillowcase that is too roomy will crease. If it is too tight, the zip will not close. With silk you pay extra attention to that, because you choose the fabric precisely for how smoothly it lies. Below you can read how to find the size of your pillow, which pillowcase goes with it and what to do if your pillow has an unusual size.

In short

A pillowcase has the same size as the pillow: no bigger and no smaller.
Look for the size on the label sewn into your pillow. If there is none, measure the short and the long side.
In the Netherlands 60x70 cm is the standard size. For that there is the silk pillowcase 60x70.
For the narrower pillow there is the silk pillowcase 50x70, and for the low, wide pillow the silk pillowcase 40x80.

How to find the size of your pillow

Start with the label

Most bed pillows have a label sewn into one of the seams. It gives the size as two numbers, for example 60x70: the smaller number is the short side, the larger one the long side. If the label has been cut off or can no longer be read, look inside the pillowcase that is on the pillow now. That often has a label with the size as well.

No label? Measure the pillow

Plump the pillow up and lay it flat, so that the filling is evenly spread. Measure the short side first and then the long side, each time from seam to seam. Hold the tape measure along the edge and not over the curve of the pillow, or you will measure too much. If you end up a centimetre or two below a familiar size, round up: a pillow of 59 by 69 centimetres is simply a 60x70 pillow.

Which pillowcase goes with which pillow?

Silkora's silk pillowcases come in three sizes. Below you will find, for each size, the pillow it is meant for and the colours you can choose from.

The three silk pillowcase sizes to scale: 60x70, 50x70 and 40x80 cm

60x70 cm: the ordinary bed pillow

Anyone who buys a bed pillow in the Netherlands without looking at the size usually comes home with 60x70. Two of these pillows side by side are 140 centimetres wide together. This size offers the widest choice: we have the silk pillowcases in 60x70 in Off-White, Beige, Champagne, Lotus Pink, Icy Blue, Silver Grey, Olive Green and Chocolate.

50x70 cm: the narrower pillow

This pillow is just as long as the standard Dutch pillow, but its short side measures 50 instead of 60 centimetres. The difference seems small, yet a 60x70 pillowcase sits noticeably loose around it. We have the silk pillowcases in 50x70 in three colours: Champagne, Lotus Pink and Off-White.

40x80 cm: the low, wide pillow

You recognise a 40x80 pillow straight away by its shape: the short side measures 40 centimetres and the long side 80. Put two next to each other and a bed of 160 centimetres is filled across its full width. We have the silk pillowcases in 40x80 in six colours. One of them is Golden Yellow, which you will not find in any of the other sizes; the other five are Off-White, Beige, Lotus Pink, Icy Blue and Silver Grey.

Should a pillowcase be bigger than the pillow?

No. Take the pillowcase in exactly the size of your pillow: a 60x70 pillow goes with a 60x70 pillowcase. Our pillowcases close with a hidden zip. That way the pillow sits completely inside and the silk lies taut around it.

If the size is wrong, this is how you notice:

The pillowcase is too big: the pillow fits, but the spare fabric creases and the pillow does not stay in place.
The pillowcase is too small: the pillow is squeezed together and the zip closes with difficulty or not at all.

My pillow has a different size

Not every pillow has one of these three sizes. Here is what to do:

50x60 cm: we do not have a pillowcase in that size. The 50x70 does go round it; you will then have ten centimetres of fabric left over in the length.
Square, for example 80x80 cm: we have no pillowcase for that. Our three sizes are all rectangular.
A size in between: choose a pillowcase that is at least as large as the pillow on both sides. A smaller pillowcase will pinch.

More than one pillow at home? How to order

You order our pillowcases one at a time, not as a set. That is convenient if there are different sizes at home, for example 60x70 on your own bed and 50x70 on the guest bed. Would you like the same colour for every pillow? You can with Off-White and Lotus Pink: we have those two in all three sizes. Champagne exists in 50x70 and 60x70; Beige, Silver Grey and Icy Blue exist in 60x70 and 40x80.

For a double bed you usually need two pillowcases. If you take two in the same size and colour, you get a discount; the percentage is on the product page. A second pillowcase per pillow is practical too. Silk must not go in the tumble dryer, so while one pillowcase is hanging to dry, you sleep on the other. You can read how to wash and dry silk in our washing instructions for a silk pillowcase.

Giving a pillowcase as a gift without knowing the size

If you cannot ask, choose 60x70. With a Dutch bed pillow that size is the most likely to fit. Would you rather look for a gift where the size plays no part? Then have a look at our gift guide for Sinterklaas and Christmas.

Ordered the wrong size after all?

It can happen. You have 30 days after receiving the pillowcase to send it back. Having opened the gift box is no objection, although we do like to see the pillowcase come back unused. We do not exchange directly for another size: you send the pillowcase back and order the right size again. The shipping and returns page explains how to request a return.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard pillowcase size in the Netherlands?

60x70 cm. Dutch bed pillows have that size as standard, and the pillowcase follows the pillow.

Does a 50x60 pillow fit in a 60x70 pillowcase?

The pillow goes in, but the pillowcase is then ten centimetres too roomy in both directions. The 50x70 is a closer fit: there, fabric is left over in the length only.