Devon Duvets Blog

Most of us associate wool with cold weather – and certainly our fabulous, super soft, high tog duvets are perfect for snuggling in the Winter months. However, the great thing about wool is that because it is a 100% natural material, it is breathable and therefore temperature regulating.

In a nutshell, wool has the remarkable ability to keep you cool in the hotter months, as well as keep you warm when it’s cold. 

This makes it the perfect filling for the lightweight duvets we handcraft for use in the Spring, Summer and even into Autumn. In fact, as a natural material, it is so efficient at temperature regulating, that for those of us who sleep in a warmer bedroom, or who suffer from the dreaded night sweats, a lightweight wool duvet will often be the ideal choice year-round. Even better, we’re delighted to have won awards from two national newspapers and Prima magazine included our lightweight wool duvets in their March special feature on the menopause.

Wool is very efficient at trapping air, making it even more able to regulate your body temperature. We maximise on this during the process of milling our wool. British wool for our duvets is taken to British mills, where it is washed and cleaned, without the use of chemicals or bleach. It is then needled to create ‘loft’ – a process that fluffs the wool, creating a light and airy sheet that is then handcrafted into a 100% natural cotton casing by our expert seamstresses at our Devon workshops.

If you suffer from allergies, wool is also a great option, especially in the summer when we tend to lose more fluid whilst sleeping. More fluid going into our bedclothes means more micro bacteria and it also creates the ideal environment for those pesky, allergen-creating, dust mites. Wool is naturally resistant to dust mites and so will help alleviate those uncomfortable nights.

We also make a range of 100% British wool mattress toppers. Using one of these on top of your mattress not only off

Wool is a remarkable 100% natural product. It’s sustainable, environmentally-friendly and has a number of beneficial properties that make it a wonderful filling for our 100% natural bedding products. Sheep are farmed for the production of wool all over the world - but we never use anything other than top grade, certified 100% British wool.

We do this for a number of reasons. Firstly, British wool has always been considered to be of very high quality. The British wool manufacturing industry dates back to around 1900 BC and when the Romans arrived, they so valued the Britons’ wool weaving skills that in 50 AD they established a wool plant in Winchester. In mediaeval times, many towns across Britain increased their wealth through the wool trade. In fact, by 1660 two-thirds of England’s foreign commerce was based on wool textiles.

Today, sheep farming and wool production in the UK is governed by strict animal welfare regulations. These are set by DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), the governing body that enforces the standards for animal welfare, working together with British Wool who set the standards for wool quality.  Shearing only takes place in Spring and Summer, when the sheep need to have their fleeces shorn. At Devon Duvets, we buy British wool because we are committed to only buying products that we know to come from responsible and ethical sources, as well as being fully traceable and, therefore, from farmers whom we know. 

Buying 100% British wool means a lower carbon footprint. We also clean the wool, without chemicals or bleach, in British mills and it is then brought to our workshops in Devon, where each wool product is individually handcrafted by our highly skilled seamstresses. We do not send our wool products abroad to be manufactured. We want our products to be made right here, on the spot, so that we can guarantee quality and that no other wool, other than 100% British wool, is used.

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According to The Sleep Council* we sleep an average of just over 2,372 hours annually. That’s a lot of time spent sleeping. So we obviously want to ensure that not only do we choose the best duvets and pillows to snuggle up in, but also soft and comfortable bed linen that will work with our bedding, to help us to get the best night’s sleep.

There’s a lot of bed linen out there to choose from but what goes right next to your skin is important, which is why cotton, with its smooth texture and natural breathability, is so enduringly popular. There are three main types of cotton, American Upland, Egyptian and Pima, with 90% of cotton bedding made from American Upland, which has short fibres. Both Egyptian and Pima cotton have long, silkier fibres that produce a luxurious, soft fabric that is also stronger and more resilient. Pima cotton was first developed in the Southwestern part of the USA by the selective breeding of Egyptian cottons. As a result, Pima cotton is considered to be the finest cotton available.

Cotton quality is also measured by ‘thread count’ (TC) and the higher this is, the better the quality. The thread count of basic or standard cotton sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers is around 150TC.

At Devon Duvets we only use top quality 100% Pima cotton for our fantastic range of pure white sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases, all of which have a super-soft 450 thread count, in a sateen weave. The breathability of this lovely fabric works in harmony with our certified 100% British wool range,  Botanic duvets and ethical 100% silk duvets, to help create an even sleeping temperature. 

The other benefit of Pima cotton sheets, pill

At Devon Duvets we are committed to making and selling natural products that are responsible and ethical. Products that don’t end up in landfill and will either biodegrade or are recyclable.

This means that we’ve had to work hard on not only ensuring that our products fulfil our criteria but also finding the right sort of packaging to fit the same bill. Our packaging is all recyclable, but it doesn’t have to be discarded; it can also be reused in all sorts of useful ways to help with storage around your home, particularly our inner bags. We’ve all put our heads together to come up with some suggestions and we’re sure that there are lots more that we haven’t thought of – but you will!

Rotating your winter or summer clothes

Our inner bags will fit several jumpers and other winter clothing, or a stack of T-shirts and shorts. Once sealed, you can pop them on the top shelf of a cupboard, under your bed or anywhere else that’s dry, such as inside a suitcase, ready for when you need them.

Your spare duvet

Some of us sleep under an all seasons option but many of you prefer to use our light or ultra-weight duvets for summer and a heavier one for winter – or have our combination two-in-one duvet. This means you’ll need to put the one you’re not using away. Hanging on to your inner bag will ensure your duvet is kept neatly stored away for you.

Beach towels and swimwear

Hunting for swimming costumes and beach towels can be time consuming, especially if you’ve put them somewhere ‘out of the way’ and in separate places until the summer – or until it’s time for your holiday. Put them altogether in your Devon Duvets recyclable packaging bag and they’ll be easy to gather up when it’s time to pack.

Soft toys

Keep them tidy – and safe. Our inner packaging bags are perfect for keeping your children’s (or yours!) much loved teddies and other soft toys in one place, especially if you are mov

It’s that time of year again – when we promise that we’re going to try and live a healthier lifestyle. We read about the latest diet craze (hopefully one that doesn’t involve two meals a day of nothing but boiled cabbage!), browse the internet for our nearest slimming club, promise ourselves that we’ll do more exercise and sort out our ‘work/life’ balance. But how long do these resolutions last?

Interestingly, we often forget that getting a good night’s sleep is a really important part of achieving a healthy lifestyle - something that can be a New Year Resolution that lasts years longer than the latest diet fad. Lack of sleep over a sustained period can have a detrimental impact on all aspects of your life, including work, time with the family and your overall sense of well-being. 

Restless nights can be caused by any number of issues, however, when we’ve spoken to those customers who wanted our advice, one problem that kept coming up was body temperature and how this was impacting on their ability to get a peaceful night. Obviously, menopause can be a contributing factor to this (i.e. burning hot one minute, shiveringly cold the next) but there are all kinds of other issues at play, such as room temperature and the body temperature of your partner. Another problem that our customers say has caused them restless, uncomfortable nights is if they suffer from an allergy to dust mites.

Making sure that you have the right kind of bedding is therefore incredibly important, considering the number of hours we spend tucked up in bed each year. After all, we’re prepared to spend money on what we wear during the day so investing in our sleep time is equally as important. Bedding that’s made of natural materials, and therefore breathable, is going to provide a better sleep experience than something that is synthetic. 

This is where our certified 100% British wool duvets come in. Wool is a wonderful, natural product and we only ever buy ours from Brit

January means Veganuary! There are many products available that are suitable for vegans but when it comes to tucking up for the night, vegans have traditionally had to opt for synthetic fibre filled duvets. All well and good but actually synthetic fibres aren’t environmentally friendly, don’t biodegrade and so just end up in landfill.

So, if you’re planning on changing to a Vegan lifestyle, then we’ve got the perfect duvet for you! It’s called Botanic and it’s 100% natural, 100% sustainable, 100% biodegradable and 100% vegan friendly. In fact, it’s the only bedding product of its kind that has been registered by the Vegan Society and also tried and tested by theGood Housekeeping Institute (and featured in the January 2020 edition of Good Housekeeping). 

Our founders, Dick and Pauline built Devon Duvets on the principle that their products will always be natural and sustainable and so they were delighted to discover TENCEL™Lyocell, a natural fibre created using a pioneering, ECO award-winning manufacturing process by the Austrian company Lenzing. The fibres are derived from certified and controlled sustainable wood sources, through a process proven to have a low ecological impact as well as being fully traceable and genuinely ethical. 

The TENCEL™Lyocell fibres are supplied to us at Devon Duvets, where they are used to create both the outer casing and filling for every duvet. These two elements are put together by our talented seamstresses, who lovingly handcraft each one to ensure a soft-to-the-touch, second to none quality duvet.

The result is our beautifully soft and comfortable Botanic range that, through its natural temperature regulating properties, keeps you warm when it’s cold yet fresh and cool when it’s hot, and thereby helps you to get a more restful sleep.  

Botanic duvets come in all the UK standard sizes, from single to emperor but we can also make bespoke sizes if you have any specific requir

Cold toes in the night or getting hot and bothered under the covers? Many of us find that our partner has a different body temperature from ours whilst sleeping and that can make for an uncomfortable and restless night’s sleep. No one wants the shock of being woken up by someone else’s icy toes on your side of the bed, however much you love your other half…and it’s equally disruptive to a good night’s sleep if your partner gets hot and keeps throwing off the covers, leaving you out in the cold! So how do you find the best duvet for both of you this winter?

The answer is our certified 100% British wool duvets, individually handcrafted in Devon and encased in gorgeously soft 260 thread count cotton. Surprisingly, wool is not only cloud-like in its comfort but, as it is naturally breathable, it is also a fantastic temperature regulator and so will work with your body temperature to help you get a more restful sleep. It doesn’t matter if you are hot and your partner is cold (or vice versa!), your side of the duvet will adjust to your specific body temperature.

British wool is sustainable and responsible, shorn from live sheep – and only in Spring and Summer when the sheep need to be shorn. When we first started Devon Duvets, we used wool from our own flock of sheep to handcraft our duvets, so now that we are making thousands of duvets every year, we take special care in selecting wool that comes from British farmers whom we know have the same values as us towards responsible wool production. Because of our commitment to British wool and the way we manufacture, we are the first bedding company in the UK to receive accreditation from British Wool. Only companies who can prove that they only use British wool are given this accreditation. So, when we say that your duvet has been individually handcrafted using British wool, that is exactly what you are getting.

Our wool i

Here at Devon Duvets, we make beautiful handcrafted, natural, certified 100% British wool duvets for all seasons. However, right now, winter is here and we’re all looking for that extra snuggle factor to help us get the best possible night’s sleep. 

Everyone is different though; everyone’s body temperature varies so it’s important to ensure that you sleep under a duvet that’s specific to your requirements.  

The question is: how do I choose the best winter duvet?  Our customers often ask us this, so we thought we’d chat about the available options below. Depending on which option you go for, you’ll have a choice of tog equivalents from 4 togs, right up to a massive 20 togs! Bear in mind that wool is a natural temperature regulator so will react to your body temperature far more efficiently than a synthetic duvet.

• You live in a warm house, or you keep your heating on all night during winter – or you are just naturally someone who gets hot at night (yes, those dreaded ‘night sweats’!): You may find that our lightweight 100% British wool duvet (approximately 4 togs) will stand you in good stead all year round. You could also add our 100% British wool mattress topper and/or 100% British wool pillows in winter.
• You don’t keep the heating on all night, and you prefer a thicker duvet in winter: Opt for our winter medium weight duvet, with a tog range equivalent to 8 – 14 togs. This duvet will regulate to your body temperature and most of our customers have found this is the perfect duvet for winter. Again, our certified 100% British wool mattress toppers will add the extra snuggle factor, should you want it.
• You live in a cold region, have a cool house or like to have your window open to the elements in winter, whatever the weather: You could choose to opt for one of our extra warm winter duvet sets, which will give you up to a 20 tog equivalent. This set consists of one of our lightw

We’ve been voted as having the best duvets by various national publications and that’s fantastic…but it’s what our customers say that means so much to us.  We put our heart and soul into handcrafting our certified 100% British wool and vegan-friendly Botanic duvets, plus our pillows and mattress toppers, at our Devon workshops. So, it gives us a real buzz when we hear from our satisfied customers that the hard work was so worthwhile.

We promise that we’ll never rest on our laurels but we’ve picked a few reviews to share, from the hundreds that we get - and we actively encourage that all-important feedback! The great thing about being based in Devon is that we’re right here to help with any queries, or if you need to chat to us about a bespoke size of one of our products. Just give us a call on 01752 345399 or write to us.

“We had a medium weight duvet from the (...name deleted.....) and it has always annoyed me how it doesn’t fit inside a standard UK size double bed set. The corners were round and I was forever trying to straighten the duvet out. No more!  The Devon duvet fits perfectly and although it’s the same tog or weight as our previous duvet, it’s got a lot more filling in it and is so much warmer. Thanks.”Kev

 "I had heard how good these duvets were from my friend, and having brought one, I am amazed at the difference it has made to my night’s sleep. For some reasom I sleep more peacefully.”Kathy

“I have CPRS so prone to night sweats due to body on fire temperature. Have tried every duvet filling going, then after research thought would try wool. Why didn’t I try wool first

One of the most important factors for a good night’s sleep is making sure you have the most comfortable pillow you can lay your head on. Most of us know what we prefer when it comes to our favourite pillow, but it can be difficult to find one that does everything you need, year-round.  

What’s more, there are those of us who prefer to sleep with the window open, even in Winter. Including when the rain is lashing down outside, the wind is howling and the curtains are blowing. Others prefer to keep everything tightly closed and have the heating on all night. So how do you find a pillow that keeps your head warm if you’re one of the former, but also ensures that you don’t overheat if you’re one of the latter?

The best solution is a wool pillow because wool is naturally breathable and temperature regulating. It therefore keeps you warm when you are cold and vice versa, and a wool pillow will adjust to your body temperature throughout the night, helping a more restful sleep.

Here at Devon Duvets, we offer two different types of wool pillow. Both are filled with certified 100% British wool, encased in beautifully soft 260 thread count 100% natural cotton - and each one is individually handcrafted by our expert seamstresses, in our Devon workshops. 

The first is our original wool pillow, filled with 100% twizzled British wool and we have incorporated a zip so that those who prefer a slightly lower pillow can remove some of the wool. The other is our unique patented folding pillow, available in 2-fold, 3-fold and 4-fold versions, offering any picky pillow lover complete flexibility in levels of firmness and neck support. You can find out more about the benefits of our folding pillow by watching our video.

The other great thing about wool is that it naturally r