What is the best filling for a duvet? How to find your perfect duvet filling and enhance your sleep

A super cosy duvet is a must for a great night’s sleep but what is the best filling for a duvet? We all sleep a little bit differently, with different needs and requirements for maximum comfort at night. The trick to finding your ideal duvet is firstly to understand the different filling options, and secondly to determine which one best suits you.

Duvets have to work hard - they need to be warm in the winter and help keep us cool in the summer. For quality sleep, it’s important to find the best duvet for maximum comfort all year round. This could just be one duvet, two separate ones, or a dual duvet, depending on your own personal preferences and needs.

Avoid making duvet buying mistakes by figuring out the best filling for you. From wool duvets for hot sleepers and bamboo for those with allergies, to hollow fibre for affordable duvets, there are lots of choices making it easy to find your perfect duvet.

What types of duvet fills are there?

'Duvet fillings vary widely, from synthetic materials like hollowfibre or polyester, which are generally less breathable, to natural options like feather, down, silk, alpaca wool, and sheep’s wool,' explains Dick Beijen, Managing Director, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Devon Duvets.

When you find your ideal duvet filling it can make all the difference, going from sweaty and uncomfortable nights to undisturbed sleep and feeling wonderfully rested. From super warm and cosy, to light and breathable, there are lots of options when it comes to the best filling for a duvet. Let’s explore the options.

Microfibre

Microfibre is a manmade filling that’s made from super thin strands of polyester. It’s made to feel similar to a down filled duvet, but it’s not as breathable or durable. Microfibre is a budget-friendly option though, but you might find a microfibre duvet too hot in the summer. It’s worth noting that it’s not biodegradable and is difficult to dispose of.

Hollowfibre

Hollowfibre is very similar to microfibre. The only difference is that each strand is made with a hole in the middle to trap air. This results in a fluffier and fuller feeling duvet that’s great at retaining heat.

Feather

Taken either from ducks or geese, feather filled duvets are a popular natural option. Feather duvets are typically plump making them a great choice if you like to feel warm and cosy at night. Feather filling is also breathable, which can help avoid overheating. In addition, feathers are fully biodegradable.

One of the main downsides to this sort of filling is that the feathers can poke through the surface of the duvet, which may cause irritation to your skin.

Down

Down is also sourced from ducks and geese, but it’s taken from the underside of the bird and is a soft and fluffy insulating layer. Unlike a feather, it doesn’t have a quill, which means that down duvets tend to be flatter than feather duvets. It does offer the same great benefits of a feather duvet though and it’s ideal if you prefer a lighter duvet that’s still super cosy.

Wool

Wool duvets are made from carded wool which results in a quilt-like finish with a fairly flat profile. The filling is kept in place with stitched squares across the surface, so you won’t get any lumps or bumps with a wool duvet. Wool duvets are really warm, but they can feel quite heavy. Wool is a natural temperature regulator, naturally hypoallergenic and recyclable.

Cotton

Cotton duvets are typically filled with carded cotton and sewn in the same way a wool duvet is sewn. This results in a flatter and denser duvet that’s not fluffy like a feather duvet might be. Cotton is lightweight and makes for a great summer duvet.

Linen

A linen-filled duvet is a great all-round option. Like a cotton duvet, it has a flat profile, but linen is a great temperature regulator, making it a good option for both summer and winter. In addition, it’s naturally antimicrobial, moisture-wicking and hypoallergenic, it just doesn’t have that super cosy feel to it.

Bamboo

Bamboo duvets are becoming increasingly popular and are a great option if buying an environmentally friendly duvet is an important factor to you. Hypoallergenic, breathable and moisture-wicking, bamboo filled duvets feel light and fluffy and are great for all year round use. They can however be on the expensive side, but will last for many years.

How to choose the best duvet fill for you

When it comes to choosing your ideal duvet, it’s important to consider a few key factors. Firstly think about whether you tend to get too hot or too cold at night, or whether you prefer to be on the cooler or warmer side. Next, consider if a thinner duvet would be cosy enough, or if your preference is to snuggle down under a thick and heavy duvet. It’s also a good idea to think about whether you’ll have separate summer and winter duvets too.

Finally, think about any allergies you might have, whether you struggle with sweating during the night and if you have sensitive skin. As you think about all of this, write down a list of features that you need your duvet to have. This should provide you with a checklist when choosing your ideal duvet filling.

It’s also worth thinking about whether you sometimes find you fall asleep comfortably but wake up hot, as Stephanie Romiszewski, Sleep Physiologist & Founder of Sleepy Head Clinic explains, ‘Naturally, we need to go into a bit of a temperature dip in order to successfully fall and stay asleep with good quality.”

'This doesn't mean you need to keep yourself cold, however no matter the time of year, you will need to be mindful that you aren't overheating yourself which will likely lead to an uncomfortable night and feeling less refreshed in general,' Stephanie continues.

'Tog ratings generally run from low (lighter and therefore cooler duvet) to high (heavier and therefore warmer duvet). It's impossible to give an individual a tog rating to work with since we are all so different. Some experimentation may be required, and separate duvets for different times of the year is possible.'

What is the best duvet filling for hot sleepers?

If you are a hot sleeper, sleep experts generally recommend avoiding duvets with synthetic fillings, these will only make the problem worse. Instead opt for something natural and breathable to stay cool in bed. A down filled duvet is a good option, as unlike feather duvets down duvets are on the thin side. They are also highly breathable, allowing moisture to escape and air circulation. Another great option is a bamboo duvet.

'Whether you’re a ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ sleeper, duvets made with 100% natural fillings are ideal for promoting better sleep due to their breathability,' says Dick Beijen from Devon Duvets.

'Research shows that natural, untreated wool is one of the most efficient materials for temperature regulation,' Dick continues. 'Wool works in harmony with both your body and the ambient temperature, helping to maintain a stable core body temperature throughout the night, leading to a more restful and comfortable sleep.'

What is the best duvet filling for allergy sufferers?

Allergy symptoms can often be worse at night, so it’s important to find a duvet that will help to reduce these. A wool duvet is a great option if you suffer from allergies. Naturally hypoallergenic, wool repels dust mites and fungal spores ensuring you have a good night’s sleep.

'Bamboo is a great duvet filling for those suffering from allergies,' suggests Tommy-Joe Reardon. Head of Marketing at Panda London. 'Organic bamboo fibres are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic, repelling allergens like dust mites and bacteria which will help you breathe more easily at night. It’s also worth noting that bamboo is incredibly breathable too.'

What is the best duvet filling for easy-care?

If you’d prefer a duvet to wash at home or a duvet that you can tumble dry, avoid wool duvets as they typically need to be dry cleaned. The same goes for feather and down duvets. Feather duvets in particular are much too big to be washed and dried at home and require specialist care. Synthetic duvets can usually be washed at home, as can cotton duvets.

What is the most affordable duvet filling?

If affordability is an important factor, opt for a hollow fibre duvet. While made from synthetic materials, hollow fibre is still highly breathable but also great for retaining heat. If your budget will stretch to it, consider a 3-in1 duvet, which gives you the option of a low-top duvet for the summer, higher-top for winter, and the ability to join the two duvets together for those particularly cold nights.

If you’d prefer a natural duvet filling, bamboo is a good option, as Tommy-Joe Reardon from Panda London explains: ‘Bamboo doesn’t cost the Earth, in both senses. While it may seem like an investment to choose a bamboo-filled duvet over cheaper high street options, the durability of bamboo microfibre will ensure you have years of cosy sleep ahead.'

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