Questions We All Ask Ourselves: Should You Switch Duvets in the Summer?
Summer-proofing your home happens like clockwork. Once the temperature rises, you add an air conditioning unit and screens to your windows, trade in your woodsy candle for a beachier scent, and swap out your flannel sheets for some lightweight linen ones. But, if we’re being honest, we never know what to do with our duvets.
On the one hand, duvets are comfortable and a great extra layer for when your AC is on full blast.
“An excellent duvet will give you that feeling of sleeping in a cloud while providing you with the right amount of warmth and breathability,” adds Rachel Cohen, co-founder and co-CEO of SNOWE. “It’s the easiest part of making your bed, and even looks good if you spend five seconds smoothing it over rumpled sheets.”
However, wrapping yourself in a synthetic down blanket could make for an uncomfortable—and sweaty—slumber.
So what gives? Should we keep our duvet in the summer? Trade it in for a lighter version? Ditch the extra layer altogether?
Truth is, the answer is more complicated.
“It really depends on if you’re a hot or cold sleeper,” Annie Selke, CEO and founder of the Annie Selke Companies. “Hot sleepers may want to ditch the duvet or fold it at the end of their bed for a decorative statement.”
Alternatively, cold sleepers may want to make tweaks to their current duvet.
“Duvet covers are a clever, subtle way to change out your sleeping temperature,” Cohen explains.
A lighter, looser material, like SNOWE’s Softexture material will make your bed look summery without forcing you to get rid of your duvet.
Ditching your duvet altogether seems like a no-brainer if you run hot when you sleep, but what are you supposed to do if you love the feel of snuggling with a plush duvet? Luckily, most bedding companies have lightweight or year-round duvets that are are perfect for your summertime snoozes.
When shopping for a summer duvet, Selke says it’s important to prioritize two things: Fill and weight.
“Fill power really equals fluffiness,” she says. “The higher the fill power, the fluffier the duvet. And the fluffier the duvet, the better it is at trapping and keeping warmth, letting you stay cozy under the covers.”
But fill power doesn’t necessarily translate to warmth. The weight of the down, Selke explains, differentiates the warmth level. The heavier the weight, the warmer the duvet. And just because you’re looking for a lightweight duvet doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice fluffiness. Both Selke and SNOWE carry lightweight options with a fill power of 600 and 750, respectively. A happy medium, if you ask us.
As for your heavier duvets? Selke stores hers in a canvas container to keep them fresh and protected during the dog days of summer.