The winter season has a knack for being cold and to seemingly last for an exceedingly long period of time, and it’s during these cold, bitter months that nothing feels quite so heavenly as snuggling into a warm, cozy bed. But unless you layer on several blankets, or wrap yourself in several layers, you may find that your bed is not quite as warm as you’d like it to be – unless you treat yourself to a duvet.
Believe it or not, the term “duvet” (pronounced do-vay) isn’t French — though it appears to be — but Norse, and it is adapted from the original Norse word “dunn”, which means “down”. The French did step in and claim “dunn” as their own, but they modified it to “duvet”. In any case, a duvet is essentially a down-filled quilt. It’s the presence of this down — typically a combination of goose, duck, and grouse feathers — that provides incredible long-lasting warmth and insulation.
While natural feather-based down is the most common choice for duvets, some duvets will appeal to the hypo-allergenic or environmentally-concerned crowd in that their fills are synthetic – typically polyester blends. However, these do not breathe as well as natural fillings, which means that you may find yourself becoming perhaps a little too warm!
Important considerations for duvet shopping:
Filling: natural down provides the best insulation and comfort, but also increases the price of the duvet
Allergies: choose from feather or wool if you do not have allergies; otherwise you will want to opt for a synthetic filling
Ticking: ticking refers to the cover of the duvet; its material as well as thread count – the higher the thread count, the softer the duvet
Cover: duvets are meant to be used with covers; simply remove and wash the duvet covers king or size of your choice as needed, then place them back on the duvet
Finally, when choosing from colors and patterns, keep in mind that duvets are best suited for the cold months of the year. For warmer months, you’ll still want to keep around some lightweight comforters and blankets. So when you’re looking at potential duvet styles, don’t hesitate to jump for a seasonal or holiday pattern or color.
About Jammie Morey
Thanks for the info! (I thought it was French, too!) I’m looking for a nice one for my mom, she’s always cold. But she has allergies so I’ll stick with a synthetic filling. It’s just getting harder to find the smaller ones – usually I see for Queen and King size, but not for full or twin.