Need a duvet cover that keeps me cool.

July 22, 2011 4:03 PM

I bought a cotton duvet cover a few years ago that is wonderful - it stays cool and if you ever get too warm, you can just flip it over. Unfortunately the store I got it from is now closed and I can't get another one. The other duvet cover I have keeps me way too warm at night time, even with the same duvet underneath. I've noticed that the cool duvet cover feels silkier than the warm one, but is still made of cotton. Where can I get a duvet cover that keeps me cool? What should I be looking for? Also bonus points for any links to places that ship to Canada.
posted by ajackson to home & garden (6 answers total)

I don't have the entire answer to your question (wish I did!), but I can give you one clue about something to avoid: "wrinkle-free" or "easy care" finishes. I've found that 100% cotton fabrics which are treated to prevent wrinkles and stains feel much hotter and stickier than apparently identical cotton items which are not treated. Wrinkles are your friend. I think linen would be great, if you can find it and afford it.
posted by Corvid at 5:38 PM on July 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

I believe that you may have had a duvet cover made from percale and now have one made from oxford-style cotton cloth. Percale feels heavy and cool to the touch to me, probably because it is combed cotton and a high thread count. The fuzzier the fabric, the warmer it will feel. This webpage gives a brief description of cotton cloth types and their uses.
posted by Foam Pants at 5:59 PM on July 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

Your duvet cover sounds just like my organic cotton sheets. They were a gift so I'm not sure where they came from but an educated guess would be J.C. Penny.

The fact that they're organic goes along with Corvid's note about them not being treated for wrinkles.
posted by TooFewShoes at 6:09 PM on July 22, 2011

Maybe also try cotton sateen - that's the shinier, silkier cotton and sometimes feels cooler to me.

I've only ordered sheets from there, but The Company Store has a huge selection of duvet covers and ships to Canada. You could try them. People also like Cuddledown, but the "summer weight" comforter I bought from them was way too hot for us even in winter, so I don't know if I'd judge any statements they make about staying cool...
posted by echo0720 at 8:22 PM on July 22, 2011

Seconding percale and organic. JADP: I have a The Company Store duvet and cover and although they are fine, their proprietary comforter sizing makes buying another cover from anyone but them impossible and their shipping charges are both slow and outrageously expensive.
posted by cyndigo at 10:02 PM on July 22, 2011

I've bought duvet covers with just that feel at overstock dot com for a very reasonable price and they ship to Canada.
posted by the fish at 2:40 AM on July 23, 2011