There are a few considerations that you need to bear in mind if you are in the market for new duvet inners. After all, your duvet plays a significant role in your sleep experience and overall comfort.
Size, warmth (tog rating), and materials are often the first features that come to mind; however, these are not the only factors that you need to be aware of. It’s equally important to prioritise durability, washability, and allergy-friendly properties to ensure that your perfect duvet inner provides long-lasting value for your money.
By investing in a duvet that meets the aforementioned criteria, you can enjoy both the comfort and peace of mind, knowing that you’ve made a wise and worthwhile purchase that will serve you well for years to come.
We’ll explore these features in more detail to help you choose your dream duvet.
How Do Duvet Inners Keep You Warm?
Duvets keep you warm by acting as a barrier between your body and the colder air in the room. They do this by trapping the heat your body generates and insulating it, creating a cosy environment for sleep.
What are Duvet Tog Ratings?
A tog rating is a measure of a duvet’s thermal insulation capability. The tog rating indicates how well a duvet can retain and regulate body heat. The higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet will be.
For instance, our winter duvet carries a tog rating of 13.5, while the tog of our summer duvets is 7.5.
It’s important to choose a duvet with a tog rating that matches your comfort preferences and the prevailing temperature conditions to ensure a comfortable and cosy night’s sleep.
Duvet Size Guide
Did you know that bed sizes differ around the world? In South Africa, our duvet sizes are as follows:
South African Duvet Size Guide | Width (cm) | Length (cm) |
Cot | 75 | 110 |
Single | 130 | 200 |
Three Quarter | 150 | 200 |
Double | 200 | 200 |
Queen | 230 | 200 |
King | 230 | 220 |
Duvet Size Tip:
Have you considered purchasing a duvet set that’s one size larger than your actual bed? This is a great way to add a luxurious feel to your bedroom, as the duvet drapes comfortably and beautifully over the bed set.
Duvet Inner Types:
Down Duvet Inners
Down duvets are filled with small fluffy undercoat bird feathers (typically from ducks or geese).
The down clusters create air pockets that trap heat. They act as a good insulator; but they aren’t the most breathable option, meaning they tend to trap moisture. This leads to increased humidity under your duvet, which often causes night sweats that negatively affect the quality of your sleep.
Furthermore, allergic reactions to duck down are not uncommon due to the presence of feathers.
Ethical Considerations
Farmers typically harvest down feathers after the birds are slaughtered for meat, with most geese being killed about 15 weeks after hatching.
Unfortunately, some farmers choose to remove the feathers while the geese are still alive – according to the environmental conservation group Audubon (2020).
The cruel practice of live plucking is to gain the maximum amount of feathers and down from the animal over its lifetime.
Feather Duvet Inners
Unlike down duvets, feather duvets contain longer, flatter, and tougher feathers. They are typically more affordable than down duvets; however, the feathers are often prone to poking through the fabric.
As with down, feather duvets can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
These feathers may also be harvested in the same cruel way as with down, thus causing harm and distress to live birds.
Synthetic Duvet Inners
Synthetic duvets are filled with materials like polyester, microfiber, or hollow fibre. While synthetic duvets can provide warmth, they may not have the same level of insulation as other duvets.
One advantage of synthetic duvets is that they are typically a more affordable option in the short term. However, Synthetic duvets may not be as durable or long-lasting as natural fillings. Over time, the synthetic fibres flatten, reducing their effectiveness and comfort. Since they need to be replaced more regularly, the cost per use (CPU) reduces the actual value.
Synthetic duvets do not offer the same level of breathability as natural fillings. They tend to trap heat and moisture, leading to a less comfortable sleeping experience. Furthermore, the combination of trapped heat, moisture, and dead skin cells provides an optimal environment for dust mites and other allergens. This is particularly problematic for individuals with allergies.
It’s important to consider these factors when choosing a synthetic duvet and determine if its affordability outweighs any potential drawbacks in terms of breathability, warmth, and longevity.
Pure Wool Duvet Inners
Pure wool duvets are exceptional at maintaining warmth and regulating body temperature. This is because the unique structure of the wool fibres creates air pockets that trap heat and provide insulation, while also allowing air circulation to prevent overheating. Essentially, moisture is drawn away from your body, allowing it to evaporate – a process known as moisture wicking.
Pure wool is a hostile environment for dust mites due to the fibre’s inability to retain water. This is highly beneficial for allergy sufferers, because of the reduced exposure to common allergens.
Lastly, from an ethical perspective, our pure wool duvets are sourced in a completely natural, sustainable, and ethical manner.
In fact, sheep are sheared for their well-being and comfort, allowing their wool to be harvested naturally. In contrast, the production of feather and down bedding involves unpleasant practices for the animals.
Additionally, pure wool is biodegradable and can be composted into nitrogen-enriched mulch within 6-12 months.
Embrace Winter with Our Temperature Regulating Duvets
When considering a new duvet inner, it’s important to prioritise several factors to ensure long-lasting value.
While down and feather duvets may offer insulation, they come with ethical concerns and can trap moisture.
Synthetic duvets may be appealing due to their short-term affordability; however, they lack breathability and easily harbour allergens.
On the other hand, our machine-washable pure wool duvets excel in maintaining warmth, regulating temperature, and providing a hostile environment for dust mites.
All Naturelle wool products are ethically sourced, biodegradable, and carry a lifetime guarantee.
When you consider the cost per use of our duvets, you’ll understand why pure wool is one of the most affordable (and sustainable) bedding investments.
Embrace the comfort and peace of mind that comes with choosing a pure wool duvet from Naturelle.
REFERENCES:
Audubon.org. (2020) “Everything You Need to Know About Buying Ethically Sourced Down Products”.Available from: <https://www.audubon.org/news/everything-you-need-know-about-buying-ethically-sourced-down-products>. [Accessed June 2023].