Finding the best duvet for the perfect night's sleep

Sinking into a sumptuous duvet at the end of a long day is one of life’s great pleasures. However, with such a huge range of options – from togs to fillings – choosing which duvet is right for you can be a daunting challenge. Then comes the question of how you best look after your duvet. Once you’ve made the investment you want it to stay fresh, supple and cosy. Read this blog to discover how best to add some luxury to every night’s sleep.

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What should I look for in a duvet?

What is a tog? And which tog is best?

Do you need separate summer and winter duvets?

Can I be allergic to my duvet?

What is an anti-allergy duvet? Which are the best anti-allergy duvets?

Should I wash my duvet? How do I wash it?

How often should you replace your duvet and how do you know when it’s time?

Where do hotels buy their duvets?

What is the 'best'/ most popular type of duvet?

While there’s no single best duvet for everyone, down and feather and down duvets* are a popular choice. Feathers offer structure, whereas down will keep you warm and cosy all night long. A luxury duvet such as our European Goose Down duvet will also have a higher fill power than a typical down duvet providing exceptional all-season lightness and warmth. Other popular types of duvet include anti-allergy microfibre duvets and those made from eco-friendly recycled down. See our best sellers page for help on the best duvet to buy for your needs.

What should I look for in a duvet?

What constitutes a luxury duvet can depend on a range of factors, but largely it comes down to the filling. Goose down duvets are generally considered more luxurious than duck feather duvets. This is because down is softer than feathers and has a better ability to retain heat.

However, the best duvets don’t have to be natural to still be luxury. There are excellent synthetic options available for those with allergies who still want that ultra-soft duvet. You can learn more about Tielle’s luxury microfibre duvet here.

What is a tog? And which tog is best?

A duvet’s tog number is an overall gauge of how warm it will keep you. Think of it as a thermal insulation score. The higher the tog the warmer you’ll be, ranging from 1 being the least insulating, to 15 being the most insulating. Generally, a 4.5 tog is considered a summer weight duvet, and 10.5 represents a good all-season duvet. Most luxury hotels also find a 10.5 is the best tog duvet for all year-round use. However, factors such as how warm you like to be at night, how well insulated your home is and whether you use bed blankets or throws will also determine which is the best tog duvet for you.

Should I have separate summer and winter duvets or one all season duvet?

Most duvet tog guides recommend that for summer you want a tog of 4.5, autumn a tog of 9-10 and in the winter that you will want a 13.5 tog. However, having three different duvets can be expensive, so many opt for a 10.5 tog year-round.

Another option is to go for a detachable all-season duvet, which is usually a 4.5 tog duvet and a 9 tog duvet that can be joined together to create a 13.5 tog, or used individually for the different seasons.

This does mean there is more flexibility in warmth, but having two duvets will cost twice as much to get cleaned and many find a 13.5 tog too warm for any time of the year. A better approach is to opt for a 10.5 tog duvet and to layer the bed with blankets or throws for extra warmth. That way you can enjoy the best summer duvet and the best winter duvet without any additional hassle or cost.

• Goose Vs Duck Down Duvets – key differences / which is most popular

Both a goose down duvet or duck down duvet provide comfort and warmth but if you’re looking for the best duvet filling, European goose down wins (but only just). European geese are more mature, meaning the larger down clusters in a European goose down duvet can trap more air and deliver more warmth than duck down. However, any high-quality duck feather duvet with a high down content will deliver the warmth and comfort you need for a luxurious night’s sleep.

When it comes to a goose feather vs duck feather duvet, goose feather is softer than duck feather. However, it’s the down that’s the star of any duvet. For the ultimate in hotel quality, our lightweight, super insulating Hungarian white goose down duvet offers the best year-round comfort and warmth.

Can I be allergic to my duvet?

Have you ever woken with itchy eyes, nasal congestion, a runny nose or unexplained sneezing? This could be a sign of dust mites, tiny little creatures that live off dead skin cells in your bedding and secrete waste that can be an allergen for some people.

It’s a common misconception that people are allergic to down duvets. Often, it isn’t the down filling that’s causing allergies, but the dust mites lurking within the down duvet. These tiny little creatures produce allergens which in turn can trigger reactions such as asthmas, eczema and sneezing.  So, if you suffer from allergies it’s even more important to choose the right duvet.

What is an anti-allergy duvet? Which are the best anti-allergy duvets?

The best way to avoid unwanted reactions is to choose a hypoallergenic anti-allergy duvet. A synthetic microfibre duvet will have been chemically treated to discourage the growth of bacteria and bugs. Such hypoallergenic duvets are usually the best duvets for asthma sufferers and those wanting an allergy-free night’s sleep.

While microfibre duvets are normally cheaper than feather duvets, choosing a synthetic duvet doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality. Some of the best anti-allergy duvets are as soft, warm and lightweight as a natural filling, such as Tielle’s Luxury Microfibre Duvet which comes in a range of sizes and tog weights.

However, for those that still prefer a natural filling but want to keep the allergies at bay, all Tielle duvets and pillows have tightly woven cotton covers that are both dust mite proof and stop down feathers poking through. Just look out for covers with a ‘Nomite’ mark.

Should I wash my duvet? 

We spend around eight hours a day wrapped up in our duvets so it’s no surprise that a survey by BUPA found that having a freshly made clean bed is the most important ‘little’ thing to make us happy!

However, it’s important to wash the actual duvet itself and not just the duvet cover. Keeping it fresh will also prolong the duvet life and help you sleep better killing by off any dust mites or bacteria. It’s best to give your duvet a clean every six  months.

How can I wash my duvet?

You should wash your duvet at least twice a year. We recommend using a professional laundry service with a large duvet washing machine, as often household washing machines and tumble dryers are too small. Each type of duvet will require a different way of washing and professionals will know exactly how to wash a feather duvet as opposed to a down duvet or microfibre duvet. 

How often should you replace your duvet and how do you know when it’s time?

How often you replace a duvet is a personal choice, but we suggest that once the duvet starts to become discoloured, flatter and has generally lost its cosiness, it's worth replacing. This equates to roughly 1000 sleeps, so approximately every three years.

Once you’ve upgraded, you may wonder what to do with an old duvet. While many charity shops will not take duvets, animal shelters often greatly appreciate donations of clean duvets, cushions, pillows and towels. Some high street retailers will also take your unwanted duvets and household fabrics for textile reuse or recycling

Where do hotels buy their duvets?

Want to know what duvets do hotels use? Well, it’s the same duvets you’ll find at Tielle. For over 30 years, Tielle’s parent company Tradelinens has been the supplier of choice to over 5000 hotels. The bedding and duvets we supply are the same as you’ll sleep on at those hotels.

Some of the hotels we supply are among the most famous in the world and are considered international brand leaders. In recognition of our hotel quality duvets we have named our Savoy range after one of our most well-known stockists, The Savoy.

We’ve even created Ready-for-bed options that take the hassle out of choosing your bedding. When choosing sheets, it’s also worth going for a sateen weave over percale as this is what the majority of luxury and boutique hotels prefer.

*All Tielle down and feather is responsibly sourced, independently audited for compliance and supplied with the assurance that it has been sourced only as a by-product.