Difference Between a Duvet and a Comforter

A duvet is a type of comforter.

A duvet is a specific type of comforter. Both contain more outer layers with a filling inside. People traditionally fill duvets with down and feathers, while a comforter could contain down, cotton batting or a variety of other warm substances. Duvets are usually faced in plain cotton fabric. Most people place their duvets in a decorative fabric cover, which they remove to wash. Manufacturers make many other types of comforters with a permanent fabric cover sewn in place.

Definitions

"Duvet" is an old French word for down. Germans called these blankets "federbetten" or featherbeds. The English originally referred to duvets as "continental quilts" because they first encountered them while visiting the European mainland. The term "comforter" is generic and does not specify a particular type of filling. Many Americans commonly refer to down comforter covers as duvets.

Origins

Although early people used feathers in bedding, residents of rural areas of northern Europe first made recognizable duvets. Duvets are a version of a featherbed, which people used as a quilt. Early duvets were basically feathers stuffed into a sack. Over time, quilt makers developed ways to enhance duvets through the use of quilted channels.

Traditional Materials

Quilt makers and farmers filled duvets with down and other soft feathers from the seafaring eider duck, as well as farmyard ducks and geese. Farmers harvested down from live poultry three to four times a year and plucked the feathers from slaughtered birds. People preferred not to use chicken feathers for mattresses and down quilts. Quilt makers sewed closely woven cotton or linen fabrics together to make a secure, mostly impenetrable casing .

Construction

Both duvets and comforters traditionally have two outer layers of fabric and an inner core. People used to have to fluff their duvets daily to redistribute the feathers evenly, but now most duvets have sewn baffles, or channels, to keep feathers from shifting. Comforters also use stitching to keep the batting or other substances in place.

Traditional Use

Duvets are lightweight, but they are extremely warm. Traditionally people used them with only a bottom sheet and stayed comfortable. In general, people place a comforter over one or more blankets and a full sheet set.

References

• Old and Interesting: History of Featherbeds & Duvets
• Just Down Comforters: Feather Bed History
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Comforter
• Webster Dictionary: Duvet