How to Choose the Right Quilt
Tog
When looking at quilts, you will notice that each has a ‘tog’ rating. This is the standard term that measures how warm a quilt is. The higher the tog, the warmer the quilt, so for example, a quilt with a tog of 4.5 will be thinner and suitable for summer. A quilt with a tog of 15 would be much warmer, thicker and suited to the colder months. Here’s a breakdown of the togs available – these give a general guide as some people prefer to be cool in bed, others prefer to be warmer:
- 4.5 tog quilts are light quilts for summer use
- 10.5 tog quilts are moderately warm quilts
- 13.5 tog quilts are warm quilts for winter use
- 15.0 tog quilts are very warm quilts for winter use
Quilt Fillings
The filling inside a quilt affects the thickness and the feel. Natural feather fillings such as duck and goose down are lightweight, soft and breathable, whereas synthetic fillings such as hollowfibre and micro-fibre are better for people who are allergic to feathers.
If you are prone to allergies and will be washing your duvet regularly then it’s a good idea to opt for hollowfibre quilts or micro-fibre, which feels similar to natural-filled quilts. If you need to wash your feather quilt it’s a good idea to do this professionally.
Here are some more details about each type:
Hollowfibre
Hollowfibre is a synthetic material that is man-made. Each strand of fibre has a single hole down the centre that traps air and thus produces loft and insulation. This is why it is called 'Hollowfibre.' Hollowfibre quilts are very durable, easy to wash and non-allergenic. They offer comfort and good value.
Duck Feather and Down
A feather and down combination quilt provides a good value natural quilt with the luxury qualities of down. Down is the soft group of feathers found next to the skin of a duck. Down is exceptionally soft and light.
The main quality of this natural product is its breathability. Feathers and down will breathe and this helps with temperature regulation throughout the year, keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter. Due to this fact a natural quilt of the same tog, or warmth, as a hollowfibre quilt will be lighter in weight.
Micro-fibre
Micro-fibre is a term for fibres with strands thinner than one denier. Fabrics made with micro-fibre are exceptionally soft and hold their shape well.
Micro-fibre quilts are a luxurious version of hollowfibre quilts. Made with finer polyester, they offer exceptional softness and comfort and maintain minimal weight.
If you were to compare a microfibre quilt of 13.5 tog rating against a hollowfibre quilt of the same tog, you would find that they both provide the same warmth but the microfibre quilt is lighter and more supple (cosy!).