Duvet Buying Guide 2024: How to Choose the Best Duvet, Best Quilt or Best Comforter

Choose your duvet filling material

There are two types of duvet filling, synthetic and natural:

Synthetic Duvets and Quilts - These duvets and comforters are a great option for those who are allergic to natural fibres as they are specially designed to be hypoallergenic. The term “synthetic” just means that the fibers are made by scientists and researchers rather than plucked from animals. The fibers wick sweat away from your body to provide a comfortable night’s sleep and the duvets can be washed at home without causing damage. There are two fillings to choose from:

• Microfiber Duvets: 

  also known as down alternative filling, is one of the most popular duvet filling options in the market. The fibers of a microfiber filling are extra fine to create the luxurious feeling associated with down-filled duvets but at a more affordable price. The lightweight texture also leads to a lighter duvet overall. The tight weave within the microfiber duvet helps it reduce staining and protect the duvet from letting liquid pass through. In addition, microfiber is more durable than other materials such as cotton, allowing users to use the duvet for a long period of time without compensating for its high degree of softness.  Microfiber has a perfect temperature regulation all year that keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. The fill is perfect for all seasons, so you never have to switch your duvet midyear. This special type of filling is an inexpensive and economical choice. Moreover, microfiber filling is easy to clean and machine washable since it is not material that can easily shrink.. The warmth, breathability, weight, and durability make microfiber the best option for most people . At Hush Home, we’re proud of the high-grade down-like microfiber filling used in our duvets, carefully shaved to mimic the texture and warmth of natural down. In fact, we use millions of microfibers in every one of our duvets, each measuring just 1/5 the diameter of a typical strand of your hair to give it a temperature profile almost identical to natural down. 

• Hollow Fiber Duvets:

  As the name suggests, the wire-like fibers create hollows in the duvet that act as a heat trap to provide great insulation. While hollow fiber duvets provide less benefits than microfiber duvets, duvets and comforters made from hollow fiber tend to appeal to customers on a budget. These duvets can be good value. If microfiber is the hypoallergenic version of down when it comes to weight, comfort, and breathability, then hollow fiber is the hypo-allergenic version of feathers.

Natural Duvets and Quilts - There are different types of natural fillings on the market, including duck or geese down, wool, and silk. Duck and geese down are some popular choices because they come from cold climes, so duvets filled with their down provide great insulation and warmth! Wool and silk are also warm animal-based natural fibers. Some types of natural fillings may be lighter than certain types of synthetic fillings and allow your skin to breathe more easily. However, feather and down can be a problem for those with allergies and are the most expensive filling to choose for your duvet or comforter. Luckily, wool and silk are hypoallergenic that suit allergy sufferers who prefer using natural fill.

• Feather-filled duvet:

  Buying a feather filled duvet is a money-saving option, but feather quilts tend to be heavier and bulkier since feathers are thick. People feel safe using heavy duvets because they feel secure as they wrap you up. They are especially beneficial for babies and children, since they have a calming effect that helps kids sleep. Feather-filled duvets trap heat better than that of wool or silk duvets. Yet, it will cause you to get too warm in summer.

• Down-filled duvet:

  Down feathers are the light fluffy furs found under the exterior feather of birds. You may think of down as the “undercoat”! Similar to feather-filled duvets, they both work well in keeping you warm. In general, a down duvet is comparatively lighter, and lasts longer than feather filled duvets. But you have to be aware that people are more likely allergic to down than synthetic materials. Plus, the price of down duvets are typically more than most people can afford: down duvets are very expensive! Canadian down is one of the popular options because they are designed for keeping you warm in extremely cold weather. Please note that due to concerns about how down feathers are collected on farms, animal lovers typically don’t buy down.

• Feather and down-filled duvet:

  A combination of feather and down duvet gives a perfect warmth and weight. The fill is usually 80% feather and 20% down. It’s a more cost effective option compared to a down-filled duvet.

• Wool duvet:

  Wool quilts are also a popular option. Wool works well in regulating your body temperature by keeping you warm in the winter and removing extra heat when your body has warmed up. Another good point about wool is that it is suitable for certain allergy sufferers.

• Silk duvet:

  Silk is a luxurious material. Similar to wool duvet, it regulates temperature that keeps you comfortable all year round and it is hypoallergenic. It also has good insulating effects that keep it lightweight.

Choose your duvet structure

That stitching you see on your duvet actually has some science behind it! It’s important to know as how your duvet is constructed will affect its insulation and breathability. There are two main types of structure:

Bavarian - (also known as Sewn-Through or Box-Stitch)

This type of stitching gets its name because the shell fabric (the top of your duvet) and liner fabric (the bottom of your duvet) are sewn completely through the fabric in square patterns. This creates a very secure stitch that ensures your filling will stay exactly where it was intended to be. It’s also a lighter-weight construction technique because it requires no additional fabric to create the square pockets. If you live in a humid climate such as Hong Kong, this may be a good choice as it keeps your duvet lightweight and breathable.

Baffle Box

This construction style uses an extra layer of vertical fabric between the shell and liner fabric, which creates a series of continuous fabric boxes filled with filling. By creating walls around each bafflex box, this style allows the filling to move around and prevents cold spots. Therefore, baffle box duvets are relatively warmer and suitable for winter. Do note that the added fabric needed to create baffle boxes adds weight to your duvet or comforter.

Understand what is TOG and choose your duvet TOG

The TOG (Thermal Overall Grade) of a duvet or comforter refers to its ability to keep you warm and ranges from 1 (coolest) to 15 (warmest). Your choice depends on the climate, range of temperature experienced during the year and personal preference. It is worth remembering that the tog of a duvet is not connected to its weight - the better the insulation quality of your chosen filling, whether natural or synthetic, the less filling is needed to reach that tog rating.

Different Types of Duvets for Hong Kong weather

There are 2 different types of duvets in stores: summer and winter duvets. Summer duvets range from 1 to 4.5 tog. In Hong Kong, summer duvets are commonly used when the weather is getting warm and when the air conditioning is turned on. That’s why they’re also called “aircon duvets”! Do make sure that your duvet is breathable enough for the humid nights during summer in Hong Kong. In general, summer duvets are lighter, their weight range from 80 to 150 g/m2. Winter duvets range  from 12 to 15 tog. They can help you survive the coldest days of the year in Hong Kong. People who are afraid of the cold or children might choose to add a thinner blanket during winter nights as well. Natural filling,for example down and feathers, are suitable but expensive filling for winter duvets since they have good heat insulation while being soft to the touch. The weight of winter duvets can weigh more than 200 g/m2. 

Some people may choose to have two different duvets to switch between seasons. But if you choose wisely, having a duvet that provides breathability and temperature regulation all year round is actually ideal for Hong Kong’s climate! For those who don’t want the hassle or cost of multiple duvets and comforters, consider the All-Season Duvet with its 100% hypoallergenic microfiber filling and 100% long-staple cotton shell. This popular quilt is a lofty, lightweight and breathable choice. The duvet is rated at 10.5 tog which means that you can use this duvet to replace both your summer and winter duvet, and thereby save space, money, and the hassle of switching your duvets.

Other things to consider when shopping for duvets and quilts

Once you have considered all of the above, you might think you’ve found your perfect bed partner, but we have just a few more things that you might want to think about before you make your purchase the best duvet or best comforter for you: 

• Ticking – Not boxes (!), this actually refers to the material used to cover the duvet’s filling. A high-quality 100% cotton material is essential to maintain temperature control, prevent sweating and allow your skin to breath overnight.

• Protecting – The time and money involved in cleaning your duvet means that it makes sense to do it as little as possible. To extend the time between washing, consider a size-matching duvet cover. They come in many different patterns, styles and materials and are a great way to add a touch of colour or individuality to your bedroom. Many people may wonder if the size of the duvet covers have to be exactly the same as that of their duvet. Duvet covers can be 15 cm longer or shorter than the width and length of the duvet. If you hate the feeling of having a duvet moving around inside the cover, you should definitely take a look at our duvet cover, it features hidden buttons as well as corners and ties to keep your duvet secured.

• Size – Although duvets come in set sizes, they include single, double/full, and queen/king, many people prefer to order their one size bigger to have a little more hanging over the edges – great if you are tall or sleep with a duvet hogger! We would recommend you to choose a larger duvet if your mattress is in the middle of your bedroom and if you are sharing a bed with your partner. Whereas a smaller duvet is for a mattress that is placed against a wall. Check out our duvet size guide to find out more!