Which duvet cover material is the best?
- , Through Inge | Bath&Living
- 8 min read
You're looking for a new duvet cover, but first want to know which material best suits your sleeping needs. What duvet cover fabric can you even choose? There are so many different fabrics, each with its own unique properties. It's hard to see the forest for the trees. duvet covers landscape. Fortunately, we can list everything for you so you can afford which duvet cover material is best for you.
Which duvet cover fabric can you choose?
Let's start with the distinction between synthetic and natural fabrics. You can choose a synthetic fabric (such as a polyester or microfiber duvet cover) if you're looking for a low initial investment. Synthetic fabrics are also easy to wash and often require no ironing. However, synthetic fabric will feel damp more quickly because it's less breathable and absorbs moisture.
That's why a natural fabric is often used to make a duvet cover, including in our range. At Bath&At Living, you'll find only cotton duvet covers or other natural materials like linen, hemp, and Tencel. All duvet covers in our range are from Vandyck. This Dutch brand uses only high-quality materials for the ultimate sleeping comfort.
Cotton cover
Cotton It's no wonder cotton is the most popular material for duvet covers. Cotton fibers have wonderful properties that contribute to an optimal sleep experience. Because cotton absorbs moisture excellently and breathes well, it helps regulate your body temperature throughout the night. So whether you get hot or cold easily, cotton is an ideal choice for your duvet cover.
However, not all cotton duvet covers are created equal. The length and strength of the cotton fibers depend on where the cotton plant grows. The longer and stronger the fiber, the finer the yarn, resulting in a softer fabric. The weaving and processing method also influences the feel and appearance of the cotton. Below, you can see the difference between regular cotton (the cream duvet cover) and sateen cotton (the light green duvet covers). The sateen weave gives the fabric a subtle sheen, while regular cotton has a more matte and rugged look.
In addition to normal cotton as in the Washed Cotton Vandyck also uses percale cotton in its more luxurious Pure and Purity series. This is also sometimes spelled percale or perkal cotton. These luxury cotton duvet covers use high-quality yarn woven in such a way that the threads are closer together. This results in a minimum thread count of 200, which indicates the quality of the fabric. Percale cotton feels cooler against the skin than, for example, satin or flannel, which is why many people prefer cotton percale in high summer temperatures.
Duvet cover in cotton satin
Duvet covers from satin you will see a lot of this in our range. Not only in the Vandyck Pure and Purity series, but also in the Satin Printed New designs for the Satin Printed duvet covers are released every spring and autumn, making Vandyck a leading brand in bed linen. The weaving process creates a beautiful sheen in cotton sateen, making the various prints and colors stand out beautifully. The photo below clearly shows the difference between the subtle sheen of the Satin Printed duvet cover and the matte finish of the light pink Washed Cotton duvet cover underneath.
The name satin evokes a shiny fabric with a luxurious look. But these aren't the only wonderful qualities of cotton satin. The yarns in satin are woven very closely together, creating a soft fabric. This feels gentle against the skin, making it wonderful to sleep under. Satin is also a smooth fabric that's gentle on your hair, minimizing breakage.
Due to its weave, cotton sateen is slightly less breathable than percale or regular cotton. While it certainly feels cooler than flannel, this is something to keep in mind if you tend to overheat while sleeping.
Mixed cotton
Besides cotton, there are other natural materials that are wonderful for bedding fabric. Blended cotton is created by mixing other materials with cotton. This creates a duvet cover with not only the pleasant properties of cotton but also other qualities.
Cotton with hemp
Take for example hempBecause hemp fibers are long and strong, it's a durable and long-lasting material. Hemp creates a soft fabric that softens with use. The natural crinkle of hemp creates a linen look with a rugged appeal. You can see this in the photo above; the brown and black duvet covers are both made of blended cotton and hemp. The combination of cotton and hemp creates a fabric that is breathable and cooling, perfect for summer or when you tend to overheat.
Cotton with Tencel
Speaking of high temperatures: this is Tencel Also ideal. Tencel is made from wood pulp from the eucalyptus tree. This makes textiles made with Tencel feel literally cooler than other textiles. You'll find Tencel in some of the duvet covers in our range, but we also have a duvet made with Tencel and handy mattress and pillow protectors.
Linen duvet cover
A linen A duvet cover has a distinctive look thanks to its natural wrinkle. Linen not only looks sturdy and beautiful but also has anti-allergic and antibacterial qualities. Like cotton, it's breathable, insulating, and moisture-absorbent without feeling clammy. Linen fabric is sturdy and durable. However, it does feel a bit rougher against the skin. Therefore, it's often either blended with cotton, or only the top layer is made of linen. This is also the case with the Vandyck Pure 07 duvet covers in our collection. These have the look and qualities of linen because the top layer is 100% linen, but you enjoy the softness of cotton sateen against your skin. The pillowcase is also satin, with a decorative linen border, as shown in the photo above.
Cotton flannel duvet cover
You'll also find lovely duvet covers in our range for those who really feel the cold. If you're looking for a duvet cover that's nice and warm in winter, you've come to the right place. flannelFlannel is made from cotton that is brushed after weaving. This creates a wonderfully soft textile with a cozy and luxurious feel. Flannel's characteristically soft appearance has a slightly woolly feel, making it ideal for the colder months, not only for warmth but also for its look. Because flannel is made of cotton, it is breathable and moisture-absorbing without becoming clammy.
Non-iron materials: what are your options?
If you're looking for a non-iron duvet cover, we recommend the cotton sateen covers. If you remove them immediately after washing and hang them neatly out of the dryer, you won't need to iron them before making your bed. This is one of the advantages of the fine, smooth fabric.
The photo above shows duvet covers made of different fabrics, with a clear difference in the degree of wrinkling. The top duvet cover, made of satin cotton (with a print), wrinkles by far the least. The bottom duvet cover, made of linen (blue), shows the highest degree of natural wrinkling. And the middle duvet cover, made of cotton (pink), falls somewhere in between.
Our favorites
Finally, we list our favorite materials and their associated characteristics.
| Material | Softness | Ventilation | Moisture absorption | Feature |
| Cotton | Soft | Excellent | Excellent | Matte look |
| Percale cotton | Soft | Excellent | Excellent | Crisp and fresh |
| Satin cotton | Very soft | Very good | Excellent | Smooth and light shine |
| Flannel cotton | Very soft | Very good | Excellent | Woolly and cozy |
| Linen | Supple | Excellent | Very good | Natural wrinkle |
| Hemp | Supple | Excellent | Excellent | Natural wrinkle |
| Tencel | Soft | Excellent | Excellent | Cooling |