To be able to choose your duvet cover properly, it is important to analyze what your wishes are. Do you especially want an affordable duvet cover? Or would you rather go for something super sustainable? In this article, we explain the advantages and disadvantages of different materials that are available for duvet covers.
In this blog
- Cotton duvet cover
- Duvet cover made of micropercal / microfibre
- A duvet of mixed cotton
- Satin duvet cover
- flannel duvet cover
- Duvet for the duvet cover
Cotton duvet cover
Many people grew up with a cotton duvet cover. It is durable and often very affordable. The quality of the cotton depends on the weave. The more yarn used, the finer the fabric, which is a higher quality. You can sometimes see the number of threads under ¨thread count¨, these are the number of threads used per inch. You can imagine that the finer the thread, the more threads you can use per inch. Therefore, the higher the thread count, the higher the quality. In the Netherlands, 150 wires are generally considered good quality and 200 and more high quality. But you can also find thread counts for duvet covers of 400 or sometimes even 700.
The advantages of cotton for a duvet cover are:
That it breathes well, which makes for comfortable sleeping (because you don’t get clammy, for example) it falls quite smoothly and therefore does not ‘creak’ or ‘scuff’. That it is usually very affordable. Cotton has the disadvantage that it is slightly more sensitive to shrinkage and crumples more quickly. Cotton is also not very colourfast over the years.
Duvet cover made of micropercal / microfibre
Micropercal is a synthetic fabric. Yet this fabric looks a bit like cotton. You also come across these duvet covers with names like microfiber or microfiber.
The benefits of microspherical are:
- It feels soft and natural
- It is lightweight, falls smoothly, yet is strong
- Micropercal is easy to clean and does not shrink
- Micropercal dries quickly and does not need to be ironed
- It’s cheap
- A microfibre duvet cover also has disadvantages:
- It’s thinner
- It wears out faster
Some people experience synthetic fabrics as sweaty because they breathe less well. That is not good for your sleeping comfort.
A duvet of mixed cotton
Usually, a combination of synthetic fibres and cotton. Therefore, you can estimate the quality of these velvet duvet covers somewhere between cotton and microfibre. Depending on the percentage of microfibre/cotton, it is closer to the properties of one or the other.
The advantages of blended cotton duvet covers are:
- That it absorbs moisture
- That the duvet cover breathes
- That it falls smoothly
- That it also retains the color well at the same time
- That it is iron-free
- That they are relatively cheap duvet covers
- The disadvantages are actually the same as the disadvantages of microfibre. It may feel sweaty, and it’s a bit thinner.
Satin duvet cover
If you are looking for a piece of soft and smooth fabric, you should choose a satin black duvet cover. Not only does satin feel very soft. it also has a luxurious look.
We must first clear up a misunderstanding. Satin refers to the way of weaving. This weaving can be done with both synthetic and natural yarns. Satin is, therefore, not by definition natural. Do you want to know how that works technically?
It’s easy to confuse satin with silk. So that’s not right. You already know that satin refers to the type of weave used. Silk can be used for that weave. But you don’t have to.
Satin and silk are two very different things.
The word ‘satin’ is often used for fabrics produced with a satin weave and a polyester fibre.
It is usually called crepe satin if the fabric is made with a satin weave and silk threads.
The advantages and disadvantages discussed below apply to a satin made of silk or crepe satin. See here for even more differences.
In addition to a luxurious appearance, crepe satin has even more advantages:
It is smooth and feels very smooth
It easily absorbs moisture
A satin pillowcase (made of silk) is good for skin and hair. For example, your hair is less frizzy.
There are also some disadvantages to such a duvet cover:
The line between smooth and slippery is thin. It can take a while before you get used to a crepe satin duvet cover.
The price of these substances is usually higher. This is because the production process is complicated and intensive. And raw silk is also expensive.
Flannel duvet cover
It’s not an everyday choice, a flannel duvet cover. Yet it is possible. Flannel is usually found in fitted sheets, pyjamas and shirts. And the fabric is best known for keeping you warm.
But what exactly is flannel? Flannel is a fabric usually made with cotton or wool, although synthetic fibre is also possible. It is made with loosely spun yarn in a linen or twill weave. Then it is roughened on one or both sides. It feels soft because of this (although you might expect something different from the word.
A flannel duvet cover is not an everyday choice, but it does keep you nice and warm!
The benefits of flannel are:
It keeps you nice and warm.It keeps the cold out better ‘the door’, a genius for the cold winter months. The disadvantage of flannel is that it can also get too warm. Especially annoying if your partner is a lot less cold.
Duvet for the duvet cover
Okay, there must also be something in the duvet cover! A duvet. There are many different options. Are you going for one duvet? Do you opt for a summer/winter duvet? Do you choose an individual duvet for both? Or do you prefer to lie under a large duvet with your partner?
All options have their own advantage. The classic situation in which women are always cold and men are often too warm under the same duvet can easily be solved by buying two individual duvets. It may take some getting used to and not so cosy, but it can do a lot for your sleeping comfort and, with it, the quality of your rest.
Roughly speaking, there are two choices for duvets. Down or synthetic. Like the duvet covers, they each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Down is nice and soft, light, it breathes well. Unfortunately, a down comforter usually cannot be washed in the washing machine and must be cleaned at the dry cleaners. In addition, some people are allergic to down. You can test whether you are really allergic to down or to the feather dust that collects between the down. Check whether the duvet is made of pure feathers (and has undergone an anti-allergy treatment). If you are only allergic to feather dust, you can still sleep under a down comforter this way. A down comforter is more expensive than the synthetic version. And finally, some people have fundamental objections to the use of animal products.
Then there is the synthetic variant. It can also feel light but generally does not breathe, but it is machine washable and usually cheaper than its counterpart. In addition, synthetic duvets are free from animal products.
