Comforter
A comforter is a type of blanket. Comforters are intended to keep the user warm, especially during sleep, although they can also be used as mattress pads. Comforters are generally large and rectangular in shape, filled with natural or synthetic insulative material and encased in a shell/covering. Like quilts, comforters are generally used with a set of sheets.
Comforter sizes correspond with bed sizes: twin, full, queen, king, and cal-king. Comforter sizes run slightly larger than actual bed sizes to allow for draping over the sides of the bed. Typical sizes in the United States for comforters are:
- Twin = 64″ Width x 87″ Length
- Queen / Full = 87″ Width x 87″ Length
- King = 101″ Width x 90″ Length.
A comforter is sometimes covered with a duvet (comforter) cover for protection and prolonged use. Duvet is French for “Down”. Comforter covers are similar in principle to pillowcases, usually closed with zippers or buttons. In the United Kingdom, they are only known as special types of padding Duvets.
Comforters are sometimes packaged in a set that also includes a bed skirt, pillow shams, and sometimes pillows.
Comforter Construction
Filling - Comforters are filled with layers of material such as polyester batting, down feathers, wool, or silk. Comforters also can be made out of fur, usually with a backing of satin or silk. The loft of the filling determines the weight as well as the level of insulation. The comforter is stitched or quilted to secure the filling and keep it evenly distributed.
Shell/Covering – The outer shells of comforters are typically constructed using cotton, silk, or polyester fabrics or blends, of varying thread counts. Comforter shells vary in design and color, often designed to coordinate with other bedding. Washing a comforter should not be done with a top loader.
Silk Comforters
A silk comforter is a bed covering, most often used as a duvet, and also commonly referred to as a silk duvet, silk quilt, or silk blanket. Originally from China, silk comforters are now more common throughout the world. Their increasing popularity stems from a combination of factors, including their thermal properties, their light weight, and their natural hypoallergenic properties. The opening of the Chinese market to the world has also played a significant role in the spread of silk comforters, as China is both the world’s biggest silk producer and silk comforter manufacturer.
Silk comforters provide excellent insulating properties similar to down, but tend to be less bulky than down duvets. Silk is a breathable fabric, making silk comforters comfortable in a wide temperature range. Thin silk comforters are used even in the summer.
In the U.S., silk comforters are mainly imported from China or Taiwan and are priced roughly the same as down comforters. Unlike other natural fibers used in comforters, silk is naturally hypoallergenic, and also does not require any chemicals during the manufacturing process. A silk comforter is a comparable alternative for people who are allergic to goose down comforters.
Silk comforters are easy to care for: they only need to be dried under the sun twice a year to maintain their freshness. If more thorough cleaning is required, a silk comforter should be dry-cleaned, since the silk floss layers are damaged by contact with water.
Mulberry silk filled duvets are inhospitable to bed bugs, dust mites and immune to mold and fungi. This makes them naturally cleaner than down or synthetic filled duvets.
