There's many terms used in marketing to sell you duvets.
"Temperature regulating."
"Thermodynamic."
"Natural."
"Sustainable."
"Machine washable."
"Breathable."
"Anti-allergy."
"Cooling."
"Hotel quality."
"Thread count."
But the most important thing you should be looking out for is what’s actually inside the duvet. That means the ‘fill’, as we call it in the world of bedding, making up the largest part of your duvet – the part that keeps you warm.
When it comes to purchasing a duvet, you’ll find these common fills to choose from:
Feathers & down (a natural fill from eiderdown and ethically sourced feathers, to cheap feathers with no responsibility accreditations)
Why people choose it: The fluffiness and weightlessness, due to the way the feathers relate to air within the duvet. This has always been considered the gold-standard of luxury, adopted in the 60s here in the UK from our European and Scandinavian cousins. Previous to this, British people traditionally slept under one bed sheet, overlaid by a thick wool blanket or blankets layered on top of one another.
Why we don’t recommend it: Feathers aren’t breathable, trapping moisture inside. Breathability is an important factor for your duvet fill as on average the human body loses up to 1 litre of water each night – now, multiply that by two if you sleep with a partner. A duvet fill that attracts moisture will in turn be conducive to bed bugs and mites. In fact, many people who believe they are allergic to feathers are actually allergic to the faeces of bed mites and bed mugs that thrive inside feather duvets.
Synthetic fill (not natural, man-made and usually derived from oil)
Why people choose it: This is often the cheaper option. For anyone on a low budget it is the obvious choice. People who are also vegan will most likely choose this option. Many people who also suffer from allergies think synthetic is their only option, which is incorrect.
Why we don’t recommend it: Synthetic material is oil-based plastic, and is our least favourite choice of bedding for a number of reasons… It is not breathable, causing your body to feel clammy as a result. It is not natural, in some instances made from recycled plastic bottles, capable of releasing harmful microplastics into water during each washing cycle, as well as releasing toxins into your bedroom and around your body each night. It is also devastating for the planet at the end of its lifecycle, taking thousands of years to break down in landfill. When it does, it leaves toxic traces in our soils and waterways.
Wool (of varying qualities, some UK-based and others imported)
Why people choose it: Readily available source to fill duvets, with sheep being annually sheered for their fleece. The availability of wool has been a mainstay of UK industries for hundreds of years, used to weave blankets, fill mattresses, and make warming clothing. A regenerative fibre sheep produce on average 13 fleeces in their lifetime.
Why we don’t recommend it: Actually, we do. Wool has incredible properties. It is naturally temperature regulating, breathable, antimicrobial - it only needs fresh air and sunshine to naturally cleanse - odour resistant, dry, sumptuously bouncy, machine washable, and naturally decomposes within a matter of months at the end of its life cycle. We use Scottish Cheviot wool as the filler for our pillows, using a layered technique that gives an even spread, supporting your neck, head and spine.
Less is known about cashmere guard hair, the newest entrant to the luxury sleep market.
Ava Innes proudly holds the patent for cashmere guard, blended with wool, as a duvet fill. Recognised as a new invention by both the UK and US patent offices, our award-winning and one-of-a-kind duvet is the pinnacle in sleep luxury, sleep hygiene, sleep comfort, and sleep wellness...
Cashmere guard, blended with wool (a natural and regenerative fibre taken from the cashmere goat, considered too straight to weave or spin with)
Why people choose it: Its exclusive and luxurious nature, being a one-of-a-kind duvet you can’t find anywhere else. Encased in 100% thick and breathable organic cotton, this weighty duvet is like a warm hug that still allows you to breathe as you should. 93% of our customers tell us they are sleeping longer, more soundly, and with reduced disturbances to their sleep through the night.
Why we recommend it: This naturally insulating, temperature regulating fibre is weightier than other fills (including wool). This weight sends sensory feedback to the brain, allowing you to instantly relax as your muscles begin to unwind. Warning keratin richness, paired with inherently dry, arid and regenerative guard fibre, makes cashmere guard the most sustainable, hygienic, sleep inducing, and luxurious choice for bedding.
It was our knowledge of the cashmere industry that led us to reviving the forgotten luxury fibre of cashmere guard. Considered a by-product, we have found the perfect solution for this wonderful fibre, helping 93% of our customers sleep better due to its super temperature regulating nature and natural weight that’s transforming people’s sleep.
Find out more, here.
Read our bedding guides: how to find your perfect duvet, and how to find your perfect pillows.
