There are several reasons to buy a wool duvet over other types of duvet such as microfiber. The biggest is wool’s ability to control temperature and provide a comfortable sleeping experience.
Because it’s soft and heavy, you might think that a wool duvet will feel hot and stuffy. That’s not the case.
A wool duvet reacts to your body temperature, keeping you cool when it’s hot and making the bed warmer when it’s cold.
It’s comfortable for use all year round.
Here are some other benefits of choosing a wool duvet.
Benefits of buying a Wool Duvet
- It is extremely durable. With good care, a wool duvet will last well over 10 years. Some can even go for 20-30 years before you need to buy a new one.
- If you get hot at night or have night sweats, you’ll love sleeping under a wool duvet. It’s excellent breathability ensures any sweat your produce dries off quickly, which actually helps cool you down even further.
- Luxury feel. Though not as luxurious as silk, wool duvets feel soft and plush. It’s the perfect way to add a comfortable luxe feel to your bed.
- If you have allergies, asthma or sensitive skin, a wool duvet is the best choice. It is naturally resistant to allergens like dust mites and fungus.
- No smell. You know that chemical smell you get from some synthetic fill duvets? Well, wool duvets have none of it thanks to the all-natural filling.
- No shifting. Unlike feather duvets that sometimes clump and shift, wool filling stays in place, making for a more comfortable sleeping experience.
As for the downsides of a wool duvet, it can be tricky to wash. You need to be careful how you clean it to avoid damaging it or reducing its lifespan.
Wool duvets are also more expensive than most other types of duvet. But for something that can last more than a decade, I think it is a worthy investment.
What to consider when choosing a Wool Duvet
a) Tog
You’ll come across duvets labelled as 3.5 tog or 10.5 tog. This is an indication of how warm the duvet gets.
If you live in a cold area or you want a duvet that’ll keep you warm in winter, look for a higher tog duvet. It will be heavier and denser, meaning it retains more heat.
For summer, a lightweight lower-tog duvet is more comfortable.
Here are the best tog ratings for each season.
- Summer: 2.5-9
- Spring and autumn: 6-10.5
- Winter: 10.5-15
Tog is not just about seasons. If you are a hot sleeper – meaning you get hot easily and tend sweat at night – a lower tog duvet is better even during winter.
On the other hand, if you are a cold sleeper, you’ll find a heavier duvet more comfortable even in summer.
b) Size
Here are the most common duvet sizes you’ll find.
- Single: 135 x 200cm
- Double: 200 x 200cm
- King: 230 x 220cm
- Super King: 260 x 220cm
- Emperor: 290 x 235cm
The best size depends on the size of your bed and whether you sleep alone or with your partner. If you share your bed with your partner, I recommend getting a size bigger than your bed to make sure the duvet adequately covers both of you.
c) Cover
The filling is wool. But have you checked the cover?
The duvet cover is also important. If it’s made from a low quality fabric, it’ll feel scratchy and can make you hot.
We recommend a wool duvet with a 100% cotton cover (like this one here). It perfectly complements the temperature control and breathability of the filling.
The Best Wool Duvets Reviews [UK Market]
1. Slumberdown Wonderful Wool Duvet
The Slumberdown wool duvet is available in three sizes: a double, king and super king.
It has 100% pure wool filling and a luxury 233-thread count cotton cover.
The manufacturer labels it as a medium tog duvet. It should feel comfortable for most people all year round.
It’s heavy enough to keep you warm in winter yet light enough to cool you down in summer.
Similar to other wool duvets, it is naturally anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic. You don’t even need to wash it too often (tip: washing wool duvets too much reduces lifespan).
When you do need to wash it, you can pop it in the washing machine. Cleaning instructions are included with the duvet.
What we like about it:
- Comfortable for use all year round.
- Keeps you warm, not hot.
- Soft and luxurious cotton cover.
- Machine washable.
2. Original Sleep Company Natural Pure Australian Wool Filled Duvet
This is the best duvet for those who are looking for something thick and heavy that will keep them warm in cold weather.
With a tog of 13.5, it’s the perfect accompaniment for winter and a great choice for cold sleepers. If you prefer something slightly lighter, there’s also a 10.5 tog option.
The duvet is filled with pure Australian wool and wrapped in a 300-thread count cotton cover.
The duvet is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and hypoallergenic. It’s a sort of self-cleaning duvet.
But if you need to give it a more thorough clean – which you shouldn’t do too often – the duvet is machine washable. Look for the cleaning instructions on the label.
What we like about it:
- Perfect for winter and cold sleepers.
- High quality cotton cover.
- Hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial.
3. Woolroom Natural British Wool Duvet
This one’s available in only a single size. It’s a 3-6 tog duvet, making it more ideal for summer and naturally warm sleepers. But it still feels pretty warm and cozy in winter.
The duvet is made from 100% natural British wool. It has all the usual natural wool qualities: hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and fire retardant.
The cover is a 200-thread count cotton fabric. Not quite as luxurious as silk but soft enough and, most importantly, breathable.
The manufacturer recommends that you only dry clean the duvet – no machine washing.
What we like about it:
- Lightweight but warm.
- Ideal for naturally hot sleepers.
- Soft and breathable cotton cover.
4. Merino Wool Duvet
Merino wool is known for its breathability, moisture control, temperature management and overall comfort.
Because Merino wool is finer than most types of wool, a duvet made from it is softer, plusher and more luxurious than usual. It’s also very gentle against sensitive skin. No itchiness or scratchiness.
This king size Merino Wool Duvet from Merino Wool Bedding is surprisingly affordable. The filling is 100% merino wool and the cover is 100% cotton.
On the tog scale, it falls in between 8 and 10.5, a medium rating that makes it ideal for use all year round. It’s the perfect sweet spot for most people.
It keeps you warm or cool depending on your body temperature and the ambient room temperature.
The duvet is machine washable so you don’t have to spend any money on professional cleaning.
What we like about it:
- Not too light and not too heavy.
- 100% cotton cover.
- Ideal for use all year round.
5. Homescapes Pure Wool Duvet
This is another good choice if you are looking for a cheaper wool duvet.
The Homescapes duvet is made from 100% Australian wool. It shares most of Merino wool’s qualities – breathable, sweat-wicking, hypoallergenic and so on.
Similar to the other duvets, it comes wrapped in a 100% cotton cover that improves breathability and moisture absorption.
This is a heavy duvet ideal for winter and cold areas. If you are a cool sleeper or your home generally feels cold, you’ll also love it.
It has a tog rating of 13.5.
The duvet is available in a single, double and king size. It is machine washable but do not tumble dry.
A better way to keep it clean and fresh instead of constantly washing it is to air it out.
What we like about it:
- Affordable.
- 100% cotton cover.
- Ideal for allergy sufferers.
- Machine washable.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why wool duvet makes me sweat?
Natural wool is a very breathable fabric, that shouldn’t make you sweat as much as man made fabrics can – if at all. However, not all wool is created equal; in fact there are more than twelve different types of wool!
- Different wool. Some wool is more insulating than others, and may make you warmer and more prone to sweating.
- Mixing of fabrics. When wool is mixed with other fabrics, this can cause overheating – wool is often mixed with polyester, a man made fabric, which can encourage a higher body temperature.
- Your mattress is hot. This may sound funny, but some mattresses retain heat more than others, and can contribute to a higher body temperature. Memory foam is particularly likely to increase body heat.
- Change your sheets. If you have gone all out on your high quality wool duvet, but skimped and bought cheap synthetic sheets
2. Which is better Wool or Silk?
If you are choosing between wool and silk for your bedding, you may be confused by the different properties and which would be best for you. Let’s have a look at a break down of the two:
Wool: Wool is a light, soft material which is ideal for bedding as it is comfortable against the skin, and will keep you warm in the cold months. It is also a pretty clever fabric in that it can keep you cool in the summer too! Wool is not completely resistant to bacteria and bugs, because the sheep which create the wool use their skin for this, which means it may not be the best choice if you are highly allergic and suffer from night time allergies. Because it is easy to keep clean, wool bedding is popular with those who have a lot of washing to do. Wool is a cheaper option than silk, as it is more readily available and doesn’t require as much work to produce, which makes it a good option if you are looking to replace a few bed coverings, or if you are on a budget.
Silk: Silk is even lighter than wool, and is very smooth to the touch. This makes it ideal for those who have sensitive skin, or who like a really light sleep covering. Silk will not hold in as much warmth as wool, but it is excellent at keeping you cosy, and works really well at keeping you cool because it is very breathable. Silk is resistant to bacteria and mould, and does actually repel bugs, which makes it a good choice for those with night time allergies. Silk is easy to clean, but care must still be taken with it so that the fibres don’t suffer damage – in fact it is often advised to have silk bedding professionally cleaned.
3. How to wash a wool duvet?
Wool, as a natural fibre, is pretty easy going. As long as it is allowed to breathe, and it gets a good airing now and then, it should stay clean and fresh. However, once in a while it might need a deeper clean.
Thankfully, this is also easy as most wool duvets can be machine washed. You can use a gentle washing powder, and choose a setting that is cool and wool friendly.
It will need to be spun well to remove most of the water, as wool gets very heavy when it is wet, and it won’t dry well (or quickly!) if it is too saturated.
If you have a very large duvet, you may need to find a larger washing machine, such as at a laundromat, or a professional cleaning service.