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The perfect duvet — the plush, billowy kind that wraps you in cloud-like softness and keeps you warm without overheating — can be hard to find. Classic duvets are stuffed with goose down, the fuzzy under-plumage found beneath the feathers, which give the comforters their comfortable, fluffy shape, and provide remarkably efficient insulation.
However, some down manufacturing has been criticized by animal rights organizations for cruelty. If you’re looking for ethical down, we recommend seeking out manufacturers that have been certified by an accredited watchdog group, such as Global Traceable Down Standard, American Down and Feather Council, or Downmark, which ensures that all down has been ethically-sourced.
Other people are sensitive to real feathers in their bedding, which can often trigger allergies or irritate the skin.
If you’d rather not sleep in materials sourced from animals at all there are also plenty of down alternative materials, often made from polyester or natural fibers like bamboo. These down alternative duvets provide the same warmth and coziness as real down duvets, only using a faux down fill instead.
What Makes a Good Duvet?
Whether you’re looking for a natural down duvet or a man-made down alternative, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a duvet comforter.
Fill Power: A duvet’s fluffiness is measured in fill power, and you can usually find this measurement on the packaging. In general, the higher the fill power the warmer the duvet.
Construction: Duvets come in a few basic stitch patterns: baffle box, quilt stitching, channel, and gusset. The highest quality duvets often combine baffle box — which has reinforced fabric “baffles” on the interior which secure the down, while maintaining the duvet’s height — and gusset construction, in which the duvet is made with fabric walls along the sides, which also help maintain height.
Design and Maintenance: Design elements like fabric handles on the blanket corners are useful when you’re trying to stuff the duvet into its cover. We also appreciate the convenience of comforters that are machine-washable.
