Comforters versus Duvets – Which is Better

White Duvet

Not long ago, it was common practice to “make a bed” using both top and bottom sheets, blankets, and possibly a quilt or comforter, with a bed cover over the top to keep it looking neat during the day. Today, however, it is more typical to use just a bottom sheet, with a duvet that has a removable cover, which can be changed and washed regularly.

But how do these different bedding items differ from one another, specifically comforters versus duvets? And what do they have in common?

  • A quilt is a padded covering for a bed, usually made from two layers of fabric with another soft layer in between.
  • An eiderdown is a type of quilt stuffed with eider (duck) feathers.
  • A duvet is defined in dictionaries as “a type of quilt used in bed instead of a top sheet and blankets”.
  • A comforter is essentially a type of quilt designed for “comfort.” It is sometimes made as a small quilt for babies and younger children. Today, these are mostly made commercially using industrial machines rather than by hand.

So, while these bedding items are similar in many ways, each is slightly different from the others.

Quilts and Quilting

Quilting is an ancient craft, well-established in North America and other parts of the world.

The craft was likely established in Europe as early as the 12th century, though it wasn’t initially used for bedding. Instead, quilts were worn as garments under the armor of Crusaders, providing warmth and additional protection. It might have even started earlier, as there is an example of a “quilted linen carpet” in a Russian museum in Saint Petersburg.

One of the oldest surviving quilts, made between 1360 and 1400 in Sicily, Italy, is thought to be one of the earliest examples of the craft. The quilt, called the Tristan Quilt, is made from quilted linen padded with cotton wadding. The intricate scenes, illustrating the legend of Tristan and Isolde from the Middle Ages, are outlined in brown and white linen thread. Sections of this quilt are on display in the Medieval and Renaissance section of the V&A Museum in London.

While this quilt is highly detailed, with pictures and patterns throughout, quilting itself can be as simple as stitching fabric and padding together to form regular patterns, creating what is now known as a quilted effect. In a patchwork quilt, scraps of fabric are sewn together and then quilted.

Simple appliqué quilts first appeared in Europe in the 15th century as a more affordable alternative to expensive embroidery for clothing and household furnishings, including bedcovers and quilts. Patchwork quilts originated in America at the turn of the 19th century, when pioneers, searching for farmland, created them out of necessity. Women used scraps of fabric from worn clothing, as resources were limited.

The earliest patchwork quilts were called “crazy quilts” because they used irregular sizes and shapes of fabric. As the craft developed, the pieces became more regular, and pattern books were published, offering ideas for making patchwork blocks and quilting them.

While quilting is typically geometric, appliqué is pictorial. Appliqué involves sewing pieces of fabric onto a background cloth, while in patchwork, the blocks themselves are sewn to the padding.

Though both patchwork and appliqué were originally handcrafts, most people today use sewing machines for the stitching. However, because these quilts are not mass-produced, they are still considered handmade.

Quilts are generally attractive and are often used without a bedspread.

Eiderdowns and Comforters

An eiderdown is technically a quilt stuffed with eider (duck) feathers, but it was also the traditional name for quilts in general in the United Kingdom. Like all quilts, eiderdowns are attractive and may be used as bed covers. They are also warm. Originally, they were marketed as a lighter alternative to heavy wool blankets.

Over the years, eiderdown (or down) has become quite expensive, and the trend has shifted toward duvets, particularly those filled with polyester or other synthetic materials.

It seems that the comforter, like patchwork quilts, originated in America. The term “comforter” was first used there, and comforters, like eiderdowns, are quilted. They are often used as a bed cover and are mass-produced in a wide range of designs. Some comforters even have reversible covers.

One major disadvantage of old-fashioned eiderdowns was that they couldn’t be washed, although dry cleaning was an option. Quilts and comforters made with high-quality synthetic fibers can be washed; however, always follow the manufacturer’s care instructions.

Duvets

Duvets are believed to have originated in Europe, which is why they are sometimes called “continental quilts.” Traditionally, in Scandinavian countries, Austria, and Switzerland, duvets were always filled with goose or duck down. Villagers in these regions would save the down from their ducks and geese to create duvets, which were then given to young brides as part of their dowry.

Sir Terence Conran, founder of the Habitat Stores, is credited with being the first to sell duvets in the UK. By the time his bestselling The Bed and Bath Book was published in 1978, duvets had gained popularity in the UK, the USA, and other Western countries. Today, duvets are common worldwide.

“Sleeping under a duvet (alternatively called a continental quilt), a common practice in Scandinavian and Central European countries, has spread widely in the UK and is growing in popularity in the USA,” Conran wrote. “Today’s duvets can replace all other forms of bed covering: they trap the body’s natural warmth with a layer of very light but bulky filling material sewn between two layers of specially woven cloth.”

Duvets come in a variety of sizes to fit different bed dimensions and are always larger than the bed itself. They also come with a range of fillings, from traditional down and feathers to cheaper, often non-allergenic synthetic materials. Duvets are lightly quilted to ensure the filling stays evenly distributed. Like quilts and comforters, the washability and cleaning methods for duvets depend on the filling and quality, so always follow the care instructions on the product.

The main advantage of duvets is that they can be used with various covers, which are removable and can be washed regularly. This makes cleaning easier and allows you to change the look of your bedroom as often as you like.

Duvets may be used with or without a top bed cover.

When considering the pros and cons of comforters versus duvets, take both the decorative and ease-of-care factors into account.

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