Many people wonder what a duvet cover is. Simply put, it’s a protective layer for your duvet (or regular blanket), similar to how a pillowcase shields a pillow or a phone screen protector guards your phone. Without a cover, a duvet will accumulate dust from the air, as well as oils, hair, and other debris from skin contact during sleep—making cleaning a hassle.
High-quality duvet are often expensive, and improper washing can cause the inner feathers to clump or shift unevenly. This leads to uneven loft, with some areas appearing flat while others bulge. With a duvet cover, you only need to wash the cover regularly, sparing the delicate comforter itself from frequent (and potentially damaging) cleaning.
Duvet covers come in various materials, fabrics, construction methods, and dyes—all of which affect their price. Next, I’ll guide you through how to choose a duvet cover.
Overall, selecting bedding (sheets/pillowcases) primarily depends on:
- Fabric,
- Thread count,
- Weaving technique,
- Dyeing process.
✔️Duvet Cover Fabric is the most critical factor, followed closely by thread count.
Other aspects like weaving and dyeing techniques also affect price and comfort to some extent, so we’ll briefly cover the essentials.
1#Bedding Fabric
Duvetr Covers: Material Comparison
Duvet covers come in various materials—cotton, silk, and polyester—each with distinct characteristics:
Comfort ranking: Silk > Cotton > Polyester
Price ranking: Silk > Cotton > Polyester
✔️ Considering both cost-effectiveness and ease of care—cotton is the top choice
✔️While silk offers premium comfort, its high cost and demanding maintenance (requiring professional cleaning comparable to duvet themselves) make it impractical for most.
✔️Polyester Considerations
As a synthetic fiber, polyester is budget-friendly but has notable drawbacks: prone to pilling, static buildup, and poor moisture-wicking properties, resulting in inferior sleep comfort.
Avoid products labeled just "washed cotton". Many of these are actually polyester blends—cheap, uncomfortable, and prone to pilling.
✔️ Let’s focus on cotton fabric among the three materials.
As the most common bedding fabric, cotton offers a wide variety of styles. For example, textures like waffle weave and checkerboard patterns are mostly made from cotton.
Take a look at these duvet cover below—they’re all cotton, yet they look completely different. This depends on factors like cotton quality, processing techniques, and more.
Products labeled as "cotton," "pure cotton," or "100% pure cotton" are genuinely made from cotton fabric.
❌ Avoid items labeled only as "washed cotton" — they're primarily made from polyester and aren't comfortable to sleep on.
👇 Just open any product listing titled "washed cotton" and check the detailed specifications—you'll see the truth.
Similarly, terms like "jersey cotton," "combed cotton," or "slub cotton" alone don’t guarantee 100% cotton content—they can be made with polyester blends. Always check the detailed specifications.
#2Yarn Count and Density
After selecting the fabric, the next thing to check is the thread count. It’s super straightforward—just look at the number!
⚠️ If the product description doesn’t specify the thread count, it’s usually around 40 (considered basic).
Why? Because brands always highlight higher thread counts (like 60, 80, or 300+) as a selling point.
Watch out for listings with gorgeous photos but no thread count—they might overcharge you. You could end up paying premium prices for bedding that’s not even 40-count! When in doubt, ask the seller directly. Most will clarify if you message them."
"Count" is a unit used to describe the fineness of yarn, typically denoted by "S."
✔️ The higher the count, the finer the fabric, resulting in softer and more comfortable bedding—though the price also increases accordingly.
Common counts for bedding include 32S, 40S, 60S, 80S, and 100S. Just remember: the larger the number, the better the quality. 60S is a key threshold—once you go beyond this, prices tend to double.
This is because yarns above 60S are exceptionally fine, requiring premium-quality cotton and advanced weaving techniques, which drives up costs.
For most people, 60S is a great choice.
⚠️ Be cautious of products labeled 160S, 180S, or higher—many are just marketing gimmicks. In reality, 100S is already considered excellent, and anything beyond that is extremely rare and expensive.
If a product claims a high thread count but is priced suspiciously low, it’s likely a scam. Some brands misleadingly add warp and weft counts (e.g., 80S warp + 80S weft = "160S"), which is deceptive.
✔️ Here brings us to the concept of thread density.
Generally, higher density means tighter, smoother fabric with a more refined feel.
Density refers to the total number of warp and weft yarns per square inch, measured in "T" (threads).
✔️ Count and density go hand in hand—higher counts require higher density. A rough standard is: Density ≈ Count × 5.
For example:
40S cotton with 200T is considered high-count, high-density.
60S usually corresponds to ~300T, while 100S aligns with ~500T.
Example: A bedding set labeled 40S with a density of 133×72 has a total of 205T (133+72), making it high-quality. This is why some 40S products (like MUJI’s) still feel luxurious.
But if a "100S" product has a density of only 200×96 (296T total), the count is likely exaggerated. At 100S, such low density would produce fabric as loose as a fishing net.
So when shopping online, always check both count and density to assess quality accurately.
3#Craftsmanship
In addition to fabric and thread count, factors like weaving techniques, dyeing/printing methods, embroidery craftsmanship, construction quality, and attention to detail all significantly affect bedding prices. This is why similarly specced 4-piece sets can vary widely in cost.
1️⃣ Printing/Dyeing Process:
Opt for reactive dyeing or digital printing—avoid pigment printing.
Pigment printing is the cheapest but lacks breathability and fades easily.
Reactive dyeing is the current mainstream (colorfast and durable). Digital printing differs technically but matches reactive dyeing in vibrancy and longevity. Choose based on preferred designs.
2️⃣ Weaving Techniques: Common types include plain weave, twill weave, and sateen weave.
Plain weave is the most basic and affordable option, typically used for 32-thread-count or 40-thread-count bedding. Twill weave is more common in 40-thread-count fabrics, with occasional use in 60-thread-count.
Sateen weave enhances cotton fabric, giving it a silky, lustrous finish—but at a higher price point. It’s generally reserved for premium 60-thread-count or higher pure cotton fabrics.
3️⃣Processing Techniques: Common methods include brushing and stone washing.
Products treated with these techniques typically come at a higher price point.
As mentioned earlier, stone-washed cotton is softer than regular cotton and resists fading/shrinkage.
Brushed fabrics have a cozy, velvety texture—perfect for winter use.
Achieving this effect requires thicker base material, so 100% cotton brushed fabrics are pricier than standard cotton.
Here’s a quick guide for everyone:
Fabric: Choose 100% cotton—avoid polyester blends.
Thread count: Higher numbers are better, but check the density too.
Printing method: Skip anything with cheap pigment prints.
For extra details or premium picks,
you’ll need to inspect carefully. ❤️
We hope you found this guide on how to wash silk helpful! If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out to us at perfectart01@hotmail.com or Contact us directly.
