Introduction
We are now at the gates of the winter season and we are starting to air our duvets.
But are the duvets / duvets for beds we have in the closet really what we need? Or, if we’re looking for a new goose down quilt, is the one that struck us actually right? In this article we will try to give you some advice on the world of duvets.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for the best information on how to wash a duvet, how to always keep it in excellent condition and how to store it at the end of the season.
We are looking for a good quality duvet
Let’s take an example: for our bed we are looking for a good quality duvet, with the right quality / price ratio and we ask the friendly saleswoman of the shop where we went for information. However, we do not make the purchase but walking downtown we are attracted by another duvet in the window. We enter the shop, we discover that it costs half and the clerk guarantees us that it is of good quality.
And now, which duvet do we buy? We need a duvet but we still don’t know which one is right for us! If we are among the “wise” consumers, as defined by consumer behavior research, we will not buy either duvet yet!
We will first do an online search to find an ‘expert voice’ that illustrates the differences between the two duvets.
Duvet and feathers: here are the differences
Let’s start by defining some basic terminologies of quilt filling. The feather represents the stiff and coarse plumage of the wing and tail, not recommended for stuffing the duvet because it is stiff.
The feather is the featherless plumage while the feather is made up of small feathers complete with calamus and very soft, suitable to be mixed with the down. The duvet is the very light bow coming from the undercoat of the goose, made up of a central body and countless, very soft beards that give the padded garment, for example, volume and lightness. The duvet is great for stuffing blankets for bedrooms.
But the behavior of a wise consumer is not just that! In addition to the filling materials of your duvet, you will also need to pay attention to other characteristics.
How to choose the best duvet: what you need to know!
- Filling percentages: A quality duvet must have at least 90% down and 10% feathers. 100% duvet is obviously the best duvet.
- Weight: the weight of the duvet determines its quality. If the duvet used is of high quality, you will need less to have the same warmth. Conversely, if the duvet used is of low quality or if it is combined with feather, the quantity used to have the same warmth will be greater.
- Heat point: these are scores assigned on the basis of the weight of the duvet, the quality of the feathers and therefore the heat it gives off.
- Quilt fabric: 100% cotton is preferable to synthetic fibers, also for greater breathability of the duvet. Furthermore, the finer the cotton (90 g / m2 extra-fine cotton, 110 g / m2 extra-fine cotton, 130 g / m2 fine cotton), the lighter, more pleasant to the touch and “cuddly” the duvet will be.
- Wording “virgin feather”: indicates that the feather is new, ie plucked from the goose, washed, sterilized and inserted into the duvet. In the absence of this wording, the plumage used could be second-hand and therefore of less valuable quality.
- Emotional factor: once these aspects have been considered, let yourself be guided by emotions: touch the duvet with your hand, feel the softness of the fabric and the warmth it emanates.
Measurements of the duvets bed
In choosing the ideal duvet to buy, the parameters to consider are essentially two: the size that best suits the size of our bed and our height. The general rule that applies to everyone is that the duvet measures at least 20 cm more in length than our height, for the rest, what are the right measures for a duvet?
What is the degree of warmth of duvets
The degree of warmth of a duvet is given by the density of the filling material. To have a warmer and more thermally insulating duvet, the weight of the filling is increased. To the touch you can feel that in each square in which the duvet is divided there can be more or less material. So the heavy duvet isn’t much thicker than a lighter one, it’s just fuller.
How to choose the degree of heat
The choice of the degree of warmth of the duvet depends on how warm or cold you are, the temperature of the house and where you live. Here is how duvets are divided by degree of warmth:
- 5 heat points: very hot, ideal for a harsh climate or unheated rooms (14-16 ° C);
- 4 heat points: warm enough, perfect for winter and poorly heated environments (17-19 ° C);
- 3 heat points: ideal for mid-seasons or rooms on average heated (20-22 ° C);
- 2 heat points: light duvet for mild seasons or very heated rooms (22-24 ° C);
- 1 heat point: very light, suitable for summer;
The most objective and scientific method for expressing the degree of heat is through measurements of the thermal insulation offered by the duvet: this method, used by the laboratories for testing, expresses the heat level of each duvet in the unit of measurement “Tog “. The higher the value in Tog (the maximum is generally around 12 Tog) the higher the level of warmth offered by the duvet.
A duvet for every season
Winter Duvet
The winter duvets for the single bed have, on average, a filling weight of between 380 gr. and the 900 gr. The double model varies from a minimum of 600 gr. up to a maximum of 1500 gr. The heat points are 3, 4 or 5.
Mid Season Duvet (Autumn and Spring)
The weight of the filling of these duvets varies from a minimum of 250 gr. to a maximum of 390 gr. for the single, while from a minimum of 400 gr. to a maximum of 630 gr. for the matrimonial. The heat points are 2.
4 Seasons Duvet
This model consists of a spring / autumn duvet for mid-seasons, and a winter one for the cold season. The two duvets can also be combined on the occasion of the most pungent colds. Heat points: 3 + 1 or 3 + 2.
What to choose between duvet and quilt?
Quilt and duvet are very different from each other and must be managed differently. The choice of entrusting our sleep to a duvet or a quilt is certainly very personal. However, what can be emphasized is that the duvet is certainly more practical and can be washed and changed more frequently.
In addition to these practical and hygienic reasons, it must also be said that the thermal insulation offered by the duvet has no comparison with the quilt, which is decidedly less breathable and less versatile. In fact, the duvet also offers greater versatility from an aesthetic point of view: by changing the duvet cover often, and perhaps combining it with the colors of the room, it can make the home environments original and personalized.