What to Look For When Buying a Duvet Cover
Snuggle up with the perfect Duvet cover—a plush comforter insert covered by a thin, removable cloth covering easy to wash and change. Duvets rival your usual one piece-comforter by giving you the option to build your blankie just how you like it, from filling, to construction and cover design. Become a duvet expert with these tips to help you make the right choice.
Filling
Duvets are fun because you can mix and match the outer shell with ease, but the duvet insert is serious business when it comes down to comfort. There are several different materials, including down, feather, wool or synthetic depending on what feels best for you.
Down Filling
Duvet inserts stuffed with down aren’t necessarily warmer than other fill options, but depending on the fill power, a down duvet is a lighter, fluffier option. Fill power measures the size of the down clusters used, with 600 being on the low end and 800 the high. The higher the fill power the softer the insert, so if you like a denser cover you may want to go with a lower fill power.
Alternative Filling
If you aren’t looking to spend a bunch on a duvet or if you are allergic to down, there are a plethora of alternative options that are just as comfortable. Down alternative duvets are filled with synthetic and natural fibers from milkweed plants to mimic that fluffy down feel and hypoallergenic covers are specially cleaned to rule out annoying allergies.
Construction
Take some time to explore different types of duvet construction. Each varies when it comes to comfort, price and warmth of the insert, so this is vital to find the perfect match.
Sewn-Through
This pattern is a great option for longevity, with seams that run all the way through the duvet, pinching the sides together for a durable finish. Sewn through construction has a much less complicated design than other construction methods and it’s lighter, making it cost friendly and great for warmer climates.
Baffle
This type of duvet utilizes strips of fabric to form soft inner walls that hold the down in place. This differs from sewn through construction, because the strips eliminate cold spots that can occur where down has shifted- a slight issue with sewn through. Baffles take the cake for being the warmest duvet on the market, but it also makes them pricier.
Box
Think checkerboard style, with perpendicular seams that create boxes to hug filling down. Box construction is the most common duvet type.
Channel
Most construction types aim to hold filling in place so warmth is evenly executed throughout the duvet, but channel construction is the opposite. For those who like to keep certain parts of their body warmer or cooler, channel construction allows down to shift to other parts of the comforter with seams that run parallel from end to end.