Duvets and duvet covers go hand in hand, but navigating the world of duvets, duvet covers, comforters, and more can sometimes be a tricky. If you don’t know which one you should choose or how they go together, our quick guide is a great place to start.
What is a duvet?
A duvet is a type of blanket. Most often, it’s a type of bag filled with fluffy material. Duvets can be filled with synthetic materials or organic materials suchs as wool, feathers, or down. The type of duvet you choose can determine how it feels, especially when it comes to weight and heat. Duvets can come in a variety of weight options, including lightweight, all-season, and winter. You can choose the option that works best for your bedroom and sleeping style. The shell of the duvet can be made of a variety of materials, most often polyester, cotton, or silk.
Duvets are usually white and are constructed in a special way. A duvet might be constructed with stitched and gusseted boxes throughout, for example. These baffle boxes help keep the fill uniform. They prevent clumping and stop fill from collecting in one corner or area of the duvet. Smaller constructed compartments mean a more even distribution of fill.
Because of the fill and size of most duvets, they can only be dry-cleaned by a professional. Duvets should be dry cleaned once or twice per year.
What is a duvet cover?
A duvet cover works like a pillowcase for your duvet. Since your duvet can’t be washed often or easily, you may want to wash your bedding more often. A duvet cover protects the duvet from wear, stains, moisture and other damage. Loops and anchors inside the duvet cover keep the duvet from moving around. You can easily remove a duvet cover to wash it in your machine at home.
Your duvet cover can be washed as often as every two weeks, or more often if there is a spill. They can come in a variety of colours and patterns, which makes it easy to switch up your bedroom decor whenever you want. You can keep the same duvet and change out the covers as often as you want to achieve a different look for your space.
What goes inside a duvet cover?
Your duvet goes inside the duvet cover. It zips, snaps, or buttons up inside the cover to protect it from moisture, dust, skin cells, and general wear over time. Sometimes, a duvet is called a duvet insert, but they are interchangeable terms.
You can also put a comforter inside a duvet cover. As long as they are the same general size, a duvet cover can change the look of your favourite comforter and your fluffiest duvet.
Most of the time, duvet covers are a bit smaller than your duvet. This gives the duvet a fluffier, denser feel when it is inside the cover. Most Canadians seem to prefer this hotel-style feel for their duvets. If you are purchasing your duvet cover and duvet separately, it’s essential to compare sizes so that you can choose pieces that work well together.
How is a comforter different from a duvet?
Some Canadians might believe that a comforter and a duvet are the same thing. While both are blankets you use as bedding, they are very different. A comforter doesn’t require a duvet cover, but you can use one if you like. A comforter is usually thicker, with more durable fabric and synthetic materials. Comforters can be less expensive than duvets in some cases. They might even be machine washable, though larger sizes are unlikely to fit in your washing machine at home.
