Can You Use a Down Comforter in the Summer?
Many people wrongly associate down bedding with being too warm, hard to care for, or a source of bedding allergies. In fact down bedding offers a great choice for the consumer in terms of comfort. It’s an eco-friendly option as well because it allows you to lower your thermostat in the winter, which saves money. But can you use down bedding in the summer? If so, which types should be used?
Down bedding is measured by how lofty or fluffy it is, or in technical terms its fill power. Fill power is a measurement of how much volume is filled with a standard amount of down. Technically one ounce of down is placed in a calibrated tube and a weight is added on top to see how resistant the filling is. The higher the fill power, the fluffier the material, and how warm it can keep you.
Consumers generally do not like heavy things on them so down bedding is great because it provides warmth without the weight. A high fill power comforter can keep you as warm as a low fill power comforter assuming the weight is the same. Down bedding allows the heat from your body to stay in balance.
Most households prefer to save money and use air conditioning as minimally as possible. In the summer, heat and humidity provide a challenge for most consumers so selecting you summertime bedding is important. Buying something too thin will offer no coverage and an uncomfortable night’s sleep because many of us are used to cuddling with something. Buying something too warm will only offer night sweats.
Down bedding is a great summertime choice because the material is typically made with cotton which is an all natural breathable material. Other options you may find include polyester fabric blends which can trap too much heat and offer discomfort so avoid anything but cotton or natural fabrics (Tencel Lyocell is a great choice for cool comfort and is derived from Eucalyptus trees).
When selecting down bedding for the summertime, we recommend a lighter-weight down blanket. Down blankets contain about half the amount of down filling as a down comforter. Most down blankets use a duck down filling and use a sewn-through construction to keep the filling in place. Many down blankets -use a decorative trim like a satin border and sometimes a self-flanged border.
Down blankets are usually oversized and meant for the top of the bed above a flat sheet. They’re are oversized and can sometimes be tucked in at the foot or sides of the bed for a clean, finished look.
You may also want to consider using a featherbed. Featherbeds usually contain a blend of 5% down and 95% feathers. Most featherbeds are about three to four inches thick and can help provide soft, loft comfort. Another secret about featherbeds is that they allow air to circulate which makes them a great choice to provide cool comfort underneath a sleeper.