How to Buy a Down Duvet
Between the Sheets

How to Buy a Down Duvet

So far we've covered how to shop for a pillow online, answered your questions about featherbeds, and given you all of the dirt on buying down - now it's time to focus on the duvet.

The process of buying a new duvet seems intimidating, but after reading this post we hope that you'll feel informed enough to buy a down duvet with confidence. Here at Au Lit, one of our core beliefs is that an investment in a good duvet is an investment in a good night's sleep. Although a down duvet is a sizeable purchase, consider thinking about it as an expense that will pay off year after year. With high-quality down duvets lasting 10+ years (with proper care, this can stretch to 20 years), the cost per year is roughly the same as a nice bottle of wine, or the main course at a restaurant.

To make it easy for you, we've rounded up the 3 most important points to consider when purchasing a down duvet.

 

1) We always recommend pure white goose down with a loft of at least 500. We believe that 100% down is the best option, rather than a feather/down blend. While down clusters are light and airy, feathers are heavy and contain sharp quills which can poke you through the cover.

Note: If you're buying a duvet in-store, always read the sewn-in label; it will give you all of the information that you need. Make sure that the duvet is approved by your regional down association (in Canada it's DownMark; in the U.S. it's the American Feather and Down Council). These associations ensure that manufacturers are accurately stating the contents of their products. 

When our down duvets are labelled "pure white goose down", we guarantee that that's exactly what you're receiving.

2) Inquire about the thread count of the duvet's shell. Look for one with a high thread count; this prevents noisy crunching, and the possibility of the down leaking out. We recommend anything over a 300 thread count, preferably in a cotton satin. A higher thread count shell is softer, resulting in a light and airy duvet.

 

3) Look for baffle box construction on your down duvet, rather than channels construction. This will ensure that the down is evenly distributed (ie. no cold spots) and will prevent the down clumping in one area. Pro tip: we recommend shaking your duvet each morning as you make your bed - this will help to fluff up the down.

Now that you're armed with all of the information that you need, make sure to check out our selection of down duvets! It's the perfect time to stop dreaming about your dream bed and start creating it.