Ultimate guide to the different types of duvets & pillows

With spring just around the corner, you might be looking to make a fresh start by enhancing how you sleep with some new bedding. How well we rest can have a powerful impact on our lives. As a result, the pillows and duvets we sleep in have an important job to perform.

If you are planning on changing up your bedding, you can be forgiven for being baffled by the multitude of options on offer. Duvet covers come in a range of different materials designed to suit a wide variety of requirements from polycotton to corovin, while modern pillows are packed with cutting-edge fillings like microfibre and hollow fibre.

To help you navigate which solutions are best for your needs, here you will find an in-depth look at duvet covers materials and pillow types. You might be looking for an easy-care cover or pillows that can retain their shape over time, but whatever your personal requirements you’ll find all the answers you seek here. Read on to start your journey towards the perfect night’s sleep in our ultimate guide below.

Pillow types

Hollow fibre pillows

Hollow fibre pillows take their name from their unique structure. This kind of pillow features hollow spaces in between the fibres. Commonly crafted from polyester these synthetic sleeping solutions are cosy, warm and breathable.

There are multiple benefits associated with hollowfibre pillows making them a popular option. Hollowfibre is high-quality, yet an exceptionally affordable material. As a result, such pillows provide excellent value for money.

Those looking for a low maintenance pillow often pick hollowfibre. Typically, hollowfibre pillows can be easily washed by machine and are equally simple and swift to dry. Unlike traditional pillows filled with down or feathers, hollow fire requires far less re-shaping, plumping and fluffing. For optimum comfort and ease of use overnight, hollowfibre is also exceptionally lightweight and its easy-breath fabric and hollow-space design ensure sleepers never feel stifled when sleeping.

Microfibre pillows

Unlike hollow fibre pillows, those using microfibre include no spaces between their individual fibres. Instead, ultra-fine pillow synthetic fibres are woven tightly together. Like hollow fibre pillows, microfibre solutions are entirely man-made and are crafted from 100 per cent polyester. Microfibre pillows have many similar benefits found in hollowfibre options.

While not quite as inexpensive as hollowfibre pillows, microfibre can still deliver outstanding value for money. It is also an exceptionally low maintenance selection, with all microfibre pillows able to be washed in a home machine and dried quickly.

Microfibre is renowned for delivering the comforts of a traditional feather pillow. With their fibres woven closely together, these pillows provide additional warmth. Additionally, their super-fine fibres have a silky soft feel that makes an excellent alternative to products filled with down.

Bounce back pillows

Bounce back pillows combine the methods used in both hollowfibre and microfibre products offering sleepers the best of both worlds. These innovative pillows are generously packed with a lightweight but springy hollowfibre filling. As its name suggests, this quality of hollowfibre allows the pillow to easily return to its original shape, night after night. As a result of using hollowfibre for a filling, these pillows are affordable to buy, but also provide excellent value as they never lose their shape over time and become uncomfortable.

For added softness, bounce back pillows commonly encase their hollow fibre filling in a microfibre cover. Completely synthetic they are also easy to care for and keep in great condition, extending their active use for years.

Duvet cover types

Cotton

A tried and tested option for duvet covers cotton remains a popular choice for many people. Commonly regarded as softer and more comfortable compared to its synthetic rivals, the cotton also tends to keep getting softer over repeated washes, even when fabric softener isn’t used.

A breathable material, cotton also has innate properties which make it able to mitigate heat and moisture. As a result, a cotton cover can offer many advantages for a comfortable and dry night’s sleep, particularly during summer.

Cotton covers are easy to care for with dirt and stains simple to remove. Hand washing with a little detergent or a machine wash cycle is typically enough to remove any unwanted marks. An added benefit of cotton as a cover is that over time it tends to pill less than man-made materials allowing it to keep its appearance for longer.

The downsides of cotton covers are that they typically crease and wrinkle more easily than synthetic bed linen and are usually more expensive to purchase. This is especially the case with more luxury options like Egyptian cotton duvet covers. Additionally, over time cotton may get softer, but repeated washes can make duvets covers made from this natural material thin and fade.

Polyester

Far more affordable than cotton, polyester duvet covers are durable and designed to serve sleepers for many years. As a material, polyester is also extremely simple to take care of and can be washed by machine and enjoys quick drying times. It is also highly resistant to wrinkling and creasing, so no ironing is ever required to keep it looking at its best. While polyester duvet covers can keep their shape over time, they do tend to pill which can cause discomfort to sleepers. Additionally, unlike cotton that gets softer with each wash, this isn’t the case with polyester.

Polyester does not absorb moisture, which can make for less cool sleeping conditions than a cotton cover can supply. People with particularly sensitive skin should also be warned that polyester cover can irritate. Unfortunately, polyester is well-known for absorbing oils. As a result, polyester oils subject to oil-based dirt and stains can easily be ruined.

Polycotton

Crafted from a blend of cotton and polyester, Polycotton was developed as a more affordable and durable alternative to cotton. However, it also offers a softer option than pure polyester that does not stain quite as easily. Depending on the individual duvet cover, the ratios involved in each material may vary. However, the most common combination is 65 per cent cotton to 35 per cent polyester.

Polycotton shares many of the downsides of polyester when serving as a duvet cover material. Like polyester, it tends to pill, and over time these bobbles of material can make bedding feel rougher and uncomfortable, hampering a good night’s sleep.

However, polycotton also brings polyesters strengths. Extremely robust, it is resistant to ripping and tearing making it incredibly hard wearing. It is also very easy to maintain. Polycotton duvet covers can be easily washed in machines and dry rapidly, and rarely wrinkle or crease. Consequently, bedding made from polycotton is a popular choice in hospitals, hotels, care homes and other environments where bed linen requires regular changing.

Sensitive sleepers will find polycotton covers less irritating on the skin than polyester, but more affordable to buy than a duvet cover made from cotton.

Corovin

Corovin duvet covers are manufactured from a synthetic material called polypropylene. It is incredibly soft to the touch and has an almost paper-like feeling. As a result, corovin bed linen is often known as the “teabag” duvet cover. Corovin is considered a cost-effective solution that is still able to deliver the same functionality of far more highly-priced duvet covers. Exceptionally lightweight, polypropylene bedding is also low maintenance and dries far faster than other synthetics like polyester.

Modern duvet covers like corovin and microfibre are often chosen by those with environmental concerns. Made entirely from synthetic materials they do not require natural resources to manufacture them and are engineered to last far longer than traditional fabric such as cotton.

Microfibre

Like corovin, microfibre duvet covers are an inexpensive option for those looking for quality bedding on a budget. Extremely durable, duvet covers made from microfibre can last for many years and are known for their stain-resistant properties. Additionally, this synthetic fabric is less likely to fade than other materials, when it is washed multiple times. Exceptionally soft, microfibre is comfortable to sleep in but also keeps its appearance incredibly well. Microfibre duvet covers are also hypoallergenic making them ideal for allergy sufferers, while the inherent softness of their fibres is suited to those with sensitive skin.

Duvet covers made from microfibre present an easy-care and low maintenance option. Bedding can be washed by machine and dries in good time. Due to its integrity, microfibre isn’t prone to becoming creased and wrinkled and can retain its original shape after washing.

Selecting the right pillows and duvet cover for your needs

Supplying rest and rejuvenation for the mind and body, sleep is a vital element for our physical and mental wellbeing. While it is understood that personal taste and individuality will always come into play when purchasing bedding, wholesale duvets and pillows are available offering high-quality options at affordable prices. If you suffer from health issues like neck strain or allergies, consulting a medical expert for advice before selecting a pillow option is strongly recommended.

For exceptional sleeping solutions at affordable prices, browse our extensive range of products today or get in touchwith our friendly team at British Wholesalers today for more information.