Hi All, it's Tammi, the Owner and Creator of Cowtown Wild Rags! Thanks for visiting our Cowtown Wild Rags - The Complete Wild Rag Guide page.
Are you tired of silk wild rags that look beautiful until you tie them...only to reveal a pale, washed-out backside? We were too. That's why Cowtown Wild Rags are made with premium 14mm silk and printed double-sided in full color, so every fold, knot, and tie shows vibrant color. Available in true 36" and 42" sizes with hand-rolled edges, these are the wild rags customers say get compliments at every turn, exceed expectations, and make them feel confident every time they wear them. Finally...a wild rag you can tie any way you want.
People often contact us for two main reasons: asking wild rag questions and wondering how to tie their wild rags. We'll answer some of the frequently asked questions below.
What is the Difference Between a Wild Rag and Silk Scarf? They are the same thing! Think of the term "wild rag" as a nickname for a silk scarf.
What is a Wild Rag? A lot of people not familiar with the Western lifestyle haven't heard the term "wild rag". A wild rag has a rich history of being with the vaqueros, who spent long hours in the saddle and needed a way to protect themselves from the sun, dust, and freezing temperatures. It started with old pieces of cloth that they cut into squares, which were called "rags" because they were not silk but cotton and wool. The vaqueros quickly learned that cotton and wool were not the ideal fabrics for long wear.
Cotton absorbs heat and water, irritating, and wool is uncomfortable to wear. Silk became the perfect fabric to wear with its natural fibers that allow breathability, as well as being lightweight to wear. Silk is warm in the cold weather and cool in the summer. As the vaqueros gained a reputation for being able to handle any situation or wild horse, they started to refer to the vaqueros as "wild" - and through time, the neck scarves they wore, the vaquero "rags" became known as "wild rags."
Silk is now the choice fabric for wild rags.
A Wild Rag vs a Bandana What's the difference between a bandana and a wild rag? They're often used in the same way. Sometimes a wild rag is referred to as a silk bandana. A bandana is traditionally cotton and sized 22"-26" - although we do have a cowboy bandana that is a large size. So, I always tell people the difference between a wild rag and a bandana is the size.
A wild rag is at least 34"-36" - preferably 36". Pro Wild Rag Tip - Always read a listing to see the dimensions and the composition of the fabric. There are a lot of cheap poly scarves that call themselves "wild rags" that are 22".
Why We Created Cowtown Wild Rags Cowtown Wild Rags was created because we, too, were tired of buying and wearing washed-out, unfinished Western silk scarves. After many years of buying silk scarves that had an unprinted backside, we were tired of trying to figure out how to tie a silk scarf and hide the pale silk backside. This is why we created Cowtown Wild Rags! We wanted a full-color silk that could be tied any way we wanted to wear it.
Our goal is to create a fantastic silk wild rag that you're proud to wear and to teach you how to tie them with ease!
We design luxury 100% silk, double-sided wild rags and teach unique ways to wear them. From classic buckaroo square knots to a silk scarf wild rag rose, this guide shows you how to get the most out of your wild rags.
Our wild rags are designed for tying. No pale backsides. No shortcuts. Just rich color, premium silk, and wild rag tying techniques that actually work. We'll walk you through step by step in each wild rag tutorial.
What Makes a High-Quality Wild Rag
Premium Silk That Performs
Our wild rags are made from 14mm premium silk. The higher the mm number the heavier the silk weight. Often, people think mm is for "millimeter," it is not. Momme is noted with "mm" meaning the silk weight. There are a lot of wild rags that are 8-10 mm weight, which will sometimes rip on you.
14mm weight gives you a substantial silk scarf that holds up. Silk is a lot stronger than you think, and it should last you. We make our wild rags so that they can be passed down to your kids. This is why we're often called the "best wild rags".
Cowtown Wild Rags are: ✅ Premium 100% Silk Scarves ✅ Double-Sided & Full Color - Most wild rags are one-sided print. ✅ 14mm weight - Others are 8-10mm weight ✅ Supreme hand-rolled edges - no thread edges. ✅ Bigger sizes for men & women at 36" and 42"
What We are Not: ❌ Cheap, too-thin silk ❌ Scarves with weird thread edges ❌ One-sided print ❌ Too small for men
Double-Sided, Full-Color Print
Most wild rags on the market are printed on one side, leaving a pale or washed-out backside that shows as soon as the knot shifts or blows in the wind. Cowtown Wild Rags are printed in full color on both sides, so every knot looks colorful from every angle. You can confidently tie our wild rags however you want without the worry of an unprinted or unfinished side showing, as with other silk scarves.
36" Wild Rag - Ideal for everyday wear, slide or split knot scarves, wild rag rose or rosette, and tying a bow for women.
42" Wild Rag - A bigger wild rag than most! Best for men's wild rag knots, cold weather wear, and layered styles, more for a traditional cowboy scarf, draping a woman's silk scarf across the shoulders, and tying a wild rag top. These make a great choice for wild rags for men.
Overall, if you have a favorite silk scarf, measure it and see which size would work best for you. A traditional cotton red/blue bandana is 22"-25" if that helps.
Learn How to Tie a Wild Rag
Each tying method below is taught using Cowtown Wild Rags so you can see exactly how a premium silk wild rag behaves when tied properly. Once again, what makes Cowtown Wild Rags different is our double-sided, full color silk - you can tie our wild rags however you want without the frustration of a washed-out silk backside showing!
Why We Teach How to Tie Wild Rags
Cowtown Wild Rags was built on the belief that a wild rag should be worn, not just owned. What holds most people back from wearing them? They're not sure how to tie a wild rag. We're going to walk you through, step by step, how to tie your silk scarves. Teaching people how to tie and style their wild rags is part of honoring the tradition behind them. You won't need an assistant or a helper to tie your silk wild rags; you can do it on your own!
When you understand how a wild rag works, you can tie it with confidence and make it your own.
Square Knot Wild Rag Tie
Best for: Everyday wear, clean finish, secure hold Why it works: Balanced knot that stays centered and lies flat
The square knot is a classic wild rag tie that works especially well with double-sided silk. Because both sides are printed, the knot stays polished even if it shifts during the day.
Written Steps:
Fold the wild rag into a triangle
Roll from the small pointed edge to the large edge. This will give you a nice line of silk. You can always start at opposite corners and roll toward each other as well.
Put the rolled-up wild rag around your neck, leaving the two ends hanging, one on the left, one on the right side.
Cross ends behind the neck
Tie a square knot and adjust. Make sure to watch the video on how to tie a square knot because it will walk you through each step. There's one step that, if you miss it, will create a twisted square knot.
Buckaroo Square Knot
Best for: Traditional western wear, rodeo styling Why it works: Holds shape without bulk
This variation of the square knot is favored for its clean lines and strong hold. It shows off color beautifully when tied with a full-color wild rag.
Take your rolled up wild rag and put it behind your neck with the two ends hanging on the left and right side of you.
Take those two ends, switch places with them. Switch again. Take your finger where they meet.
Use your finger as a lever, taking the silk scarf around your finger, going under the scarf, up towards your chin.
Bring the end straight down and lock it with your thumb. (Key step!)
Now, reach over and grab that end and follow with that end your finger. Wedge the scarf through the "scarf tunnel" that's wrapped around your finger. Pull it through.
Best for: Dressy wear, statement styling Why it works: Showcases silk quality and color depth
The wild rag rose, sometimes called a rosette, highlights why double-sided printing matters. Every fold shows rich color instead of a pale backside. Here's how to tie a wild rag rose easily and effortlessly!
We love that you're into tying your wild rags in unique ways! They don't have to be Cowtown Wild Rags for you to enjoy tying your own wild rags in fun ways - get them out of your closet and/or drawer and wear them. They are practical as well as one of the most recognized Western fashion accessories - when you think of John Wayne, what do you think of? Hat, boots, vest, and scarf!
I always worry about shopping online. How do I know that you're for real?
Shop With Confidence. We're Real People.
Let's be honest...shopping online can feel like a gamble. Will it look like the photos? Will the quality be there? Will anyone help if something goes wrong? Those are the same concerns many of our customers had before placing their first order.
That's why we're proud that so many reviews mention our fast shipping, personal customer service, and wild rags that arrive looking even better than expected. In fact, a large percentage of our customers come back again and again, often purchasing multiple wild rags after receiving their first one.
We answer emails, we stand behind our products, and every order is backed by our 30-Day Happiness Guarantee. If you're not happy, we'll make it right. We're real people, and we want you to love your wild rag as much as our loyal customers do.
How Do You Take Care of Wild Rag? As with any silk scarf, dry cleaning is preferred!!You can hand-wash Cowtown Wild rags (check the instructions) in a cold water basin (sink) with a small amount of cleanser. Use less than you think - I always suggest a pea-sized amount. Add it to the water first, not directly on the silk. Soak the scarf. Then remove and roll the wet scarf in a towel, removing excess water. Hang to dry. (Not in the sun). Your scarf will be wrinkly - expect this! Steam iron or iron on a silk setting.
Types of Silk Wild Rags There are multiple types of silk used in Western silk scarves. At Cowtown Wild Rags, we typically use silk charmeuse, which has a slight sheen on the top side and a matte back. With our double-sided, full-color silk with hand-rolled edges, our customers often wear our wild rags on the backside of the silk if they don't want any sheen. That's one of the great attributes of our silk scarves, you can choose which way to wear it, showing the topside (sheen) or flip it over and wear the matted backside. I wear mine both ways! The reason we choose silk charmeuse is that it allows for the most vibrant color, and with the weaving process, it leaves the silk threads the longest, creating the softest texture for a wild rag.
Silk twill is a durable silk that holds its structure. It is not as soft as the silk charmeuse but perfect for working outdoors. The silk twill often has a slight pattern in the fabric from the weaving process of the silk. It's a great choice for those who work out outside that need a strong silk.
Silk jacquard is a woven fabric. If you picture a tapestry, this is often a jacquard print. It is one of the strongest of silk fabrics. It's long-lasting and very durable. Often with silk jacquard, there is a subtle pattern of flowers, leaves, or geometric print.
American Made vs China Which is better? Many silk scarf companies that advertise "Made in USA" often refer to products where the edges of the scarf are sewn in the USA. The manufacturer that claims their products are American-made sometimes doesn't even realize that their silk is from China because they purchased the material from a store that sells silk.
The truth is, there are no large-scale silk farms or manufacturing in the United States. Silk requires large quantities of mulberry trees and raising silkworms. China has been producing silk for thousands of years and has developed the world's best silk. Like nearly every premium silk scarf company, we source our silk from the world's leading silk-producing regions and focus on creating a product we're proud to wear ourselves. We design our products in Fort Worth, Texas, and import our silk scarves, bringing the best wild rags to market.
I love this large patriotic scarf. It is so fun and I cannot wait to wear for all of the patriotic days.It is very good quality. I love the pattern and how it folds to show some blue and some red stripes as well.
I love this very vibrant fushia scarf. It is so fun and goes with so much. It is very good quality. I like that because it is silk, it can go either casual or more dressy, but in a fun way.
