It’s been a tough winter for people on the east coast. The holidays were freezing for many, only to be followed up by a weather phenomenon called a “bomb cyclone” that brought dangerously cold temperatures. When it’s that cold outside, you can feel the chill in your home, too. The secret to staying cozy and warm in your bedroom is a quality duvet. When you’re too cold at night, it affects the quality of your sleep and your ability to focus the next day. Stay warm and with a new duvet this winter instead of shivering your nights away.
When To Replace Your Duvet
How do you know when to replace your down comforter or down duvet? There’s no specific time limit and a lot depends on the quality of the duvet you’re replacing and how well you’ve cared for it. As a general rule, it’s time to get a new duvet every 10 to 15 years, but there are a few ways you can tell it’s time to get a new one. First, if you hold the duvet up to the light, you can tell where the down has thinned out where the light shines through. Down loss can become quite extensive over time, which means you may be sleeping under little more than the cotton case. If you sleep on your side, you may also notice a lack of down around where your shoulders go when you sleep.
What To Look For In A New Duvet
It’s easy enough to tell when it’s time to buy a new duvet, but what should you look for in your replacement? There are a lot of factors to consider and much of it comes down to personal taste.
Thread Count: First, let’s start with thread count. You’ve probably heard a million times that a higher thread count means higher quality. There’s some truth to this and a duvet with a 300-thread count will be a high-quality, comfortable purchase. Some luxury duvets have thread counts as high as 1000, but you have to be careful with what you’re buying. Some companies artificially inflate their thread counts and the higher count doesn’t mean it’s a softer material. Higher thread counts also mean that the duvet can be more susceptible to wear when you wash it as it’s more fragile. Vogue warns that thread count isn’t everything, but anywhere from 250-500 is a safe bet.
Material: Not all cotton is created equally. Recognized worldwide as the finest material for duvets, Egyptian cotton makes for high-end duvets, while pima or Supima cotton is a close second. If you’re looking at a duvet that simply says “100% cotton,” it’s probably made from American upland cotton, which is cheaper and not as soft. You might also find blended cotton, where synthetics are added as well. Keep a close eye on the material.
Ply: Last but not least, duvets come in either single-ply or multi-ply. Single-ply has finer, stronger threads that will prove more durable. Multi-ply is sometimes used to inflate thread counts. A single-ply duvet means you’re getting what’s advertised in terms of thread count and you have a long-lasting duvet.
With these three factors in mind, you can find yourself a quality duvet that will keep you warm even on the coldest winter nights.