Henrietta Lilley

International Women's Day started way back in 1911 and was given a new energy in 2001, with people and businesses starting to recognise the day’s significance and giving it a voice.

The world has witnessed a significant change in thoughts about women's equality.  There are more women in the boardroom, greater equality and impressive role models in every aspect of life.

But there are still barriers that need dismantling. We need to talk about the taboo subjects...such as the menopause. Half of the population will go through this and yet we are only just beginning to understand how it can affect us. For years, doctors dismissed women as insane, and the Victorians had very unusual ways of treating it. Anyone for a concoction of carbonated soda before mealtimes with the occasional dash of opium? Followed by a trip to the asylum for a few months!

Today, there are a variety of homeopathic remedies, a plethora of home-made tips, treatments from your GP, but the biggest problem to solve is the night sweats that can make sleep impossible.

Here at Devon Duvets, we regularly speak to customers with this particular issue and are able to help by suggesting they choose bedding made from 100% natural materials, as these are breathable. Our lightweight wool duvets are particularly helpful, and many customers find these are suitable year-round in helping to regulate their body temperature whilst they sleep. Wool is also naturally resistant to dust mites and so if you also suffer from allergies, our wool duvets will help to alleviate this. Our lightweight range also includes duvets made from 100% British alpaca, 100% silk and our 100% plant-based Botanic range. 

Don’t suffer in silence. Let’s help to break the taboo. Speak to your GP, join groups online and have a chat to our team about the best lightweight duvet for you. Just get in touch via email, or call us on 01752 345399.

You can find out more about International Women's Day here.

The World Sleep Society (WSS) promotes and celebrates World Sleep Day each year. This year is the 14^th annual World Sleep Day and it’s set for 19^th March 2021. The aim of World Sleep Day is for sleep professionals to advocate and educate the world about the importance of sleep as part of a healthy lifestyle and the theme of this year’s event is ‘Regular Sleep, Healthy Future’.

Studies show that stable bedtimes and rise times are important for establishing good sleep patterns and helps with better moods, psychomotor performance and academic achievement. The Word Sleep Society recommends 10 steps that will help achieve healthy sleep.

1. Fix a bedtime and an awakening time.
2. If you are in the habit of taking a nap, do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep.
3. Avoid excessive alcohol ingestion 4 hours before bedtime and do not smoke.
4. Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bedtime – this includes coffee, tea and many soft drinks, as well as chocolate.
5. Avoid heavy, spicy or sugary foods 4 hours before bedtime. A light snack before bed is acceptable.
6. Exercise regularly, but not right before bed.
7. Use comfortable bedding (we’ll get to this further down!).
8. Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated (you’ll find further details on this below).
9. Block out all distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible.
10. Don’t use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room – in other words it is best to avoid the use of ‘screen’ time in the bedroom.

The best bedroom temperature for sleep is approximately 18 degrees (Celsius). This may vary from person to person but if you do use heating in your bedroom overnight, then most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat between approximately 16 degrees and 19 degrees for the most comfortable sleep.

Now to the very important issue of bedding! Bedding that is made from 100% natural materials will provide a better sleep experience than bedding that is made from synthetic materials that are not breathable. Fibres such as wool, alpaca, silk and 100% plant-based fibres, such as TENCEL™Lyocell, are breathable and will help to wick away moisture to keep you feeling comfy and fresh. They also help with temperature regulation whilst you are asleep, radiating heat away from you if you are too hot, and keeping you warm when it’s not, thereby creating a healthier sleeping environment.

At Devon Duvets, we only ever use 100% natural, 100% sustainable materials in our duvets, pillows and m

At Devon Duvets, looking after our planet is at the heart of everything we do – and that’s why all of our duvets, pillows and bedding are made from responsibly sourced, environmentally friendly, 100% natural materials. We initially founded our business making our award-winning wool filled bedding, using 100% British wool so that we could support British farmers. We then designed and created our Botanic duvets so that we could also offer a 100% plant-based option – and we’re proud that these duvets are the only bedding product of their type registered by the Vegan Society.

Here are five reasons why our customers love their Botanic duvet.

1. The filling of our Botanic duvets contains TENCEL™Lycocell, which is a 100% natural, ethical fibre, derived from certified and controlled sustainable wood sources. It is processed using an Eco award-wining process and then needled into soft fluffy layers. TENCEL™Lycocell fibres are fully traceable, so you can be sure you are buying

Wool cloth production in Britain started in the Bronze Age, in around 1900 BC, although fleece from domesticated sheep had been used for warmth as early as 6,000 BC. Initially, wool was combed from the sheep during the time they lost their fleece in the warmer months, with the first evidence of shearing, dating back to the Iron Age.

Even before the dawning of the 1^st century, the Ancient Britons had already developed a woven wool industry. In fact, when the Romans arrived on our shores in 55 BC, British wool cloth was considered a luxury item. The Romans were so impressed by British woven wool cloth that they established a wool plant in Winchester in 50 AD, to further develop the skills of British weavers and ensure a steady supply of this prized item. By the 4^th century, the British birrus (hooded cape) was amongst the highest prized and most desirable items listed in The Edict of Diocletian, a summary of traded goods across the Roman Empire.

Britain continued to export woollen fabrics to mainland Europe, and beyond, throughout the next few centuries, and this gathered momentum after the Norman Conquest in 1066 to such an extent that by the 12^th century, wool was England’s greatest national asset. Over the next 500 years, Flemish master weavers settled in the UK, followed by Huguenot weavers from France, all adding their unique skills to the production of British wool cloth. By the end of the 17^th century wool cloth amounted to over 65% of the value of British exports. Throughout this time, the wool trade created some of Britain’s wealthiest merchants, who then made sizeable donations towards the building of churches, schools and universities.

With the Industrial Revolution in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, mechanical processes for spinning and weaving British wool meant that Britain was able to produce considerably more cloth for the domestic and international market, with British tweed becoming a byword for quality and style.  Further mechanical processes also led to the production of luxury woven carpets, particularly in the West Country. British farmers and sheep breeders pioneered new breeds of sheep with even finer wool and now the UK still has more types of breed than any other country. These breeds made their way to Australia and New Zealand, where they are thriving today.

Today, British wool is still sought after, with up to 50% exported annually. It is graded and sold under the auspices of the British Wool organisation – which is owned by approximately 40,000 sheep farmers in the UK and regulates the process to ensure that high quality standards are maintained.

Here, at Devon Duvets, we only ever use 100% British wool for our award-winning wool filled bedding products because it’s important to us that we support our hard-working British farmers. We choose high grade wool that is certified by British Wool and this also enables us to use the British Wool Crook mark, a mark that consumers can trust. What’s more, British sheep are amongst the best cared for in the world, thanks to our high standards of animal husbandry. We only use wool from late Spring and Summer shearings, when the sheep naturally need to lose their fleeces in the hotter weather. The British Wool organisation is the approved provider for sheep shearing and wool handling training in the UK, all carried out by registered instructors, highly experienced in this traditional skill.

Our wool is washed in

What do Venus Williams, Morrissey and Ariana Grande all have in common? They are all passionate Vegans, and this month, over 500,000 people pledged to go vegan. That’s an extra 100,000 from last year!

Deliveroo’s vegan orders spiked by 163% in 2020 and over 7.2 million Brits alone enjoy a meat free diet. Even the big fast-food brands are offering vegan alternatives to attract the new customers, Greggs vegan sausage roll anyone?

But being a Vegan isn’t all about facon, oat milk and the search for the perfect vegan cheese. It’s a lifestyle choice that many people embrace. It’s discovering lifestyle alternatives for everyday things like make-up, clothing, homeware and adapting your life to this new way of thinking and being. 

At Devon Duvets we are very proud of our luxurious, soft award-winning Botanic range of duvets, made from a 100% plant based filling and casing. What’s more, it’s the only duvet of its type to have been Registered by the Vegan Society.

We’d like to take you behind the scenes at Devon Duvets to give you a glimpse of the love and care that goes into each step of handcrafting our award-winning certified 100% British wool duvets.

Firstly, our talented seamstresses cut the 100% natural cotton fabric required for the duvet casing, to the customer’s specific requirements. This could be for a duvet for one of our standard UK or EU sizes or could be a bespoke size for a custom-sized bed, campervan or berth in a yacht. This is still done in the traditional way, using a measuring table and classic dressmaking scissors that are specially sharpened to ensure accuracy and straight lines, and ensures the cotton is not stretched out of shape or torn. Two matching sized pieces of cut cotton fabric are required per duvet casing.

Next comes the wool – certified 100% British wool, purchased from British farmers. The wool is cleaned in British mills, without the use of chemicals or bleach, and then needled to our exact

We know how lucky we are to be based in Devon! When our founders, Dick and Pauline, left their busy international careers 12 years ago, they decided to settle on Dartmoor because they loved the area and wanted to enjoy all its natural beauty and the outdoor lifestyle.

When they developed their idea for Devon Duvets and started to grow the company, production was moved to an area just outside Plymouth, close to the edge of the moor. At that point, we found another reason to love Devon. We discovered that there are many talented seamstresses who live here and now work with us, putting love and care into handcrafting each of our duvets, pillows and mattress toppers. It makes us very proud to be able to say that our filled bedding products are 100% made in Devon!

So…Devon is beautiful and has talent but that’s not all!

Tors, clotted cream, fudge and sheep are usually the things most often associated with Devon, but it is also a county that is full of other enterprising businesses that have based themselves here. We thought we’d share some information on some of our favourites.

• First up is Twool, an Ashburton-based company that uses wool from Whiteface Dartmoor sheep to make wool twine (perfect for traditional garden use but also great for wrapping gifts), caps, bags and dog leads. Like us, Twool supports British farmers, and has placed responsible sourcing and sustainability at the heart of its business.

• ViSpring are based just down the road from us and they are manufacturers of high-quality beds. They also make wonderful mattresses, using natural materials, such as cotton and wool. One of their most luxurious mattresses is created using hand teased Devonshire wool.

• Continuing on the bed theme, Bakare (also based very close to us), make award-winning electric beds, including special needs beds and cots and mobility beds.

When Devon Duvets was founded back in 2010, we had already made the decision to make wool duvets the focus of our business. Since then, we have gone on to develop other products, but our wool duvets have remained the most popular throughout the years. Beautifully soft, deliciously snuggly in winter, yet cool in summer, wool is a wonderful natural product that turns a duvet into a slice of sleep heaven!

Thousands of happy customers have already discovered the benefits of a wool duvet but if you’re still pondering if it’s the right choice for your bed, here’s seven reasons to consider a Devon Duvets wool duvet.

1. Wool is Natural and Sustainable

In the same way that our hair grows, wool fleece continuously grows and so sheep need shearing to relieve them before it becomes too heavy. We only ever use 100% British wool in our wool duvets, certified by the British Wool organisation – and we only ever use wool from live sheep that have been shorn in the traditional way in spring or summer, when the fleece has grown long over the winter. Our wool is washed (known as ‘scouring’) in British mills without the use of bleaches or chemicals, so our wool duvets are 100% natural.

2. Wool is Breathable and Temperature Regulating

As a natural fibre, wool is breathable. This means that, unlike synthetic materials, it will work with your body temperature, retaining heat when you are cold, but releasing heat if you get too warm. Your wool duvet will also work with the ambient temperature in your bedroom, helping to keep you warm if your bedroom is cool, but also radiating heat away from your body in the warmer months. Wool also wicks away moisture. This makes it the ideal duvet filling for temperature regulation and especially if you suffer from ‘night sweats’.

3. Wool is Wonderfully Soft

Once our wool has been washed, it is then needled to our exacting specifications, to trap air and create loft. This results in soft, fluffy layers of wool, that are then encased in high quality, 260 thread count 100% natural cotton. As the wool is in layers, it cannot move around inside the duvet casing and so your duvet will drape gently around your body, creating a luxurious sleeping environment.

4. Wool is Hypoallergenic

Wool is naturally resistant to dust mites and the build-up of micro bacteria, which makes it perfect if you suffer from allergies or asthma. The washing process at the mill also removes virtually all the lanolin from the wool, so you are left with wool fibres that are anti-allergy.

5. Wool is Naturally Flame Retardant

When compared to many other common materials, especially synthetics such as polyester or nylon, wool is naturally fire retardant.

6. Wool is Environmentally Friendly

Because wool is a natural product, it will biodegrade harmlessly into the environment, when the time comes to replace your duvet. The cotton casing we make is also 100% natural, so that will biodegrade harmlessly too!

7. Our Wool Duvets are 100% British Made

All of our wool comes from British farmers, which means we are supporting farming in the UK. Then when you take into account that our wool is cleaned here in the UK, this means we are able to minimise our carbon footprint. We put a lot of love and care into the making of our duvets; each and every one is individually handcrafted by our brilliant seamstresses, here in our Devon workshops. We have a team of seamstresses, packers and dispatchers, plus our sales team – so we are also providing jobs for people who live in our area,

We’re delighted that the programme telling the story of Devon Duvets is back on TV and being aired several times over the coming days! It all began in 2010, when Dick and Pauline Beijen left their busy international careers behind and bought a smallholding on Dartmoor. Keen to live a more sustainable, self-supporting lifestyle, they were soon crafting natural products to sell, and were discussing the possibility of making wool filled duvets with other local farmers.

It was at this point that they were discovered by the hugely popular TV presenter, Monty Don, who asked the couple if they would feature in the first episode of his new series ‘My Dream Farm’. Monty Don was so excited by Dick and Pauline’s idea to make wool filled duvets that he introduced them to the buyers in the bedding department of John Lewis and it wasn’t long before the idea became a reality and the seamstresses in our Devon-based workshops were working hard to create, first, our 100% British wool duvets an

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Autumn is definitely here! On Dartmoor, very close to where we are based - and where Devon Duvets was founded - the colours are simply glorious. The trees have turned gold and orange and the bracken (also turning orange) stands out against the, still vibrant, green grass on the tors. In the early morning, pockets of mist hover in the valleys and there is a distinct chill in the air.

This is the time of year for changing to a warmer tog duvet, to make us feel cosy and comfortable at night, and we’ve received an unprecedented number of customers who have been busy ordering their warmer duvets. It’s also been wonderful to be able to work closely with the British Wool organisation, who represent British farmers, in order to keep a steady flow of wool coming into our workshops for turning into duvets, toppers and pillows!

ONE…TWO…THREE!

The good old days of duvet hogging - because one of you prefers to be toasty warm whilst the other likes a nice cool bed - are over! It’s goodbye to leaving your partner shivering in the cold because your ‘night sweats’ have made you throw off the duvet (and put it back on again) at regular intervals through the night. 

With ‘Three’, the patented duvet combination from Devon Duvets, the UK’s famous manufacturer of handcrafted bedding, it really is as simple as one…two…THREE!

Devon Duvets have come up with a way to marry up any combination of duvet sections, in terms of weight or filling. Step One is for you to choose a duvet section with your preferred filling and tog equivalent. Step Two is for your partner to choose theirs. Step Three is to join two duvets sections seamlessly together as one big duvet inside a duvet cover. Now each of you has the perfect duvet that’s been handcrafted just for you, but you can still share one big duvet! Find out more

SILK

Silk has been made for thousands of years and was once considered so luxurious that it was exclusively used to make clothes for the rulers of China and their high-ranking nobles. A beautiful 100% natural fibre that feels wonderful, is breathable and temperature regulating, it made sense for us to add it to our range of other natural products.

We’ve chosen a sustainable type of Mulberry silk for our duvets. When Mulberry silk is woven into fabric for high quality garments, the fabric has to be cut to standard widths. Rather than throwing away (and therefore wasting) the remaining silk fibres, they are ‘teased out’ and needled to create a beautifully soft filling for our duvets. Our silk is washed without using chemicals or bleaches, so is eco-friendly and safe. Each of our Mulberry silk duvets is individually handcrafted by our brilliant seamstresses, with the 100% Mulberry silk fibre filling encased in 260 thread count 100% natural cotton to create a soft, cloud-like duvet. You can find more details on our website.

PAULINE’S BLOG

When our founders Dick and Pauline left their busy international careers, moving to Devon with their two children and founding Devon Duvets, Pauline’s love of ‘all things natural’ became the central focus of her n