On average and depending on the quality you have invested in, a duvet needs replacement after 5 to 10 years, but how long does a duvet last? If you use separate duvets for winter and summer, you can obviously extend the life of both quite a bit. What aspects affect the lifespan of your duvet?
How long can you use a duvet?
Do you pay much or little attention to its maintenance? And what filling materials are used in your duvet? And have you properly ventilated your bedroom? And … many more factors play a role. In this blog, we take a closer look at the lifespan of your (down) duvet.
How do you know if you need a new duvet?
The appearance and smell of your bedding often give an indication:
- When you hold the duvet up to the light and see that the filling is gone in certain places, you need a new duvet. Usually you will have noticed this even during the night because you are significantly fresher than usual. You can of course try to shake it back up evenly, but if that no longer has any effect, it’s better to use the duvet as a summer version or clean it up.
- If your duvet smells, sorry stinks … despite proper airing and/or (professional) washing, you better also buy a new duvet. Adding vinegar to your detergent seems to help remove unpleasant odors. Be very sparing with it, however, as vinegar can quickly damage the duvet’s filling. Adding ammonia to your laundry can also help. Just make sure your detergent does not contain chlorine bleach. There are situations when, unfortunately, your duvet must be irrevocably relegated to the trash: think of urine or feces from humans or animals that are not immediately removed, intense-smelling perspiration from overactive apocrine glands, or body odors absorbed into the duvet when you have to take certain medications. Certain antidepressants, opioids or amphetamines can cause this intense body odor.
- Yellow stains on your duvet are often an indication of intense sweating and depositing bacteria. If you can’t get rid of them despite all the washing, you may want to use another duvet just for appearances’ sake.
- When the fabric tears, the duvet loses its filling and it is impossible to continue using the duvet. If you bought a down comforter, you can have the ticking completely replaced at a sleep specialist store. For all other duvets, in most circumstances much can be solved with handy hands and needle and thread. But if the fabric has become too thin due to age, it is often a hopeless task and you are better off renewing the duvet.
How often do you replace a duvet?
If we assume for a moment that you have maintained the duvet well and you sleep (almost) all year under the same duvet, you will find that after 5 to 10 years the best is really gone. So where is the difference you may be asking yourself? Well in the padding of your duvet. Let’s dive deeper into this matter.
How long does a down comforter or feather-filled duvet last?
Down duvets or duvets filled with feathers lose their filling power over time and thus their insulating power.
A duvet filled with goose or duck feathers is heavy and is usually used in colder areas. The outer cover or ticking is often woven very thickly. It has to be, because otherwise the tiny feather pins poke through the fabric. Feathers are rougher, heavier, less resilient, less suitable for duvets and therefore cheaper.
When you wash a feather comforter, drying time is very important. Poor drying leads to unpleasant odors and risk of mold. Duvets filled with feathers do not last as long on average as down duvets. After 8 to 10 years, the best is usually off.
A down comforter consists mostly of duck or goose down instead of feathers. Down is many times lighter and, depending on the quality chosen, has a higher fill power. The more down, the better. You can see this in the indication of the ratio, for example 90% down. Then the filling consists of 90% down and 10% feathers and residual materials.
A 100% down comforter also has a proportion of residual materials, but only very minimal and this has been strictly regulated since 2001 according to EU Standard EN 12934. This standard requires the manufacturer to provide information on the origin, the color of the down, the percentage ratio of down to feathers and the quality class (class I to V).
Down comforters, depending on the finish of the cover, can be easily cleaned and refilled when needed. The video above is a promotional video from a professional company from Belgium that specializes in down cleaning. We recommend having your duvet professionally maintained every five years. In that case, you extend its lifespan up to 15 years and beyond.
Duvets made of natural hair, such as wool: how long can you use them?
A wool duvet has a lifespan of 8 to 15 years depending on quality, maintenance and use. You can choose natural hair comforters in sheep’s wool (Texeler or Merino are well-known examples), camel hair or cashmere (goat’s wool).
Wool contains lanolin, a dirt-repellent and antibacterial substance. When you wash the duvet, it loses some of the lanolin. So wash only when necessary.
Ensure regular and thorough ventilation. Over time, your duvet will become thinner through use. Don’t throw away your natural hair duvet then. Use it as a summer comforter, then it can best last another round.
What is the lifespan of cotton comforters?
Cotton duvets are strong at absorbing moisture. However, because cotton absorbs moisture faster than it releases it again, it can feel clammy. Therefore, airing is extra important with this comforter filling. Cotton duvets can be washed well, but be careful because the filling usually consists of carded cotton.
Carding the cotton removes impurities and aligns the fibers. Thanks to the stitching in the ticking, these fibers stay in place, but they can come loose during washing. So choose a gentle program at low speed and after spinning, let the duvet dry hanging or lying down. Often these duvets need replacement after 4 to 5 years.
How long do silk duvets last?
Silkworms are reared and the larvae are very well cared for and fed with specific food, namely the leaves of mulberry trees. They never mature into a moth, however, because to have long silk fibers, the cocoons are cooked. A process that the silkworm does not survive.
After collecting these cocoons, the silk is reeled off and joined into a silk thread. A duvet filled with silk feels very soft. It is anti-allergic and also causes hardly any irritation on the skin. The filling is very heat-regulating.
Provided good care, you can use a silk duvet for quite a long time. Therefore, choose hand washing or steaming, and avoid hard wringing and twisting. Preferably let it dry flat and always use a mild detergent for delicate fabrics. This way, this duvet will easily last 10 years and more.
How long does a synthetic duvet last?
A synthetic duvet lasts 5 to 10 years. A little word of explanation, because when a product is made from synthetic raw materials we mean the filling. So the fibers are industrially made by humans.
The raw materials are usually not natural, think petroleum or natural gas derivatives. Sometimes they do come from nature, think wood pulp. The purpose of these synthetic fabrics and fillings is to mimic or enhance natural fabrics. Often these duvets are cheaper due to mass production.
The lifespan of synthetic duvets is strongly linked to quality. Because even though a fiber can be durable on its own, its use has a big impact. Not every synthetic fiber handles perspiration or heat regulation well. The better a comforter fabric and filling are suited to the person sleeping under it, the longer its lifespan.
What to do with your old duvet? Waste separation
When it’s time for a new duvet, what do you do with your old one? Think about why you want to put it away. If the duvet isn’t as warm as it was when you bought it, think about using it as a summer duvet. Don’t feel like doing that and does the duvet otherwise look fine? Then consider donating it to a thrift store or put it in a textile container. Contact the thrift store ahead of time to find out if they will accept it.
When a duvet definitely ends up in the trash, it basically belongs in the residual waste. There is an exception: down comforters. There are initiatives that recycle down, such as down return in the Netherlands.
In recent years, numerous duvet manufacturers have been increasingly conscious of collecting all types of duvets, with the aim of targeted recycling. In this case, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and, above all, offer the duvet in the right conditions and dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do down comforters wear out faster?
No, down comforters do not wear out faster. Because you can usually have down comforters professionally cleaned (best every 5 years), duvet actually lasts longer than average.
How long does a comforter cover last?
It depends a lot on the quality and composition. Of course, you wash a cover regularly and therefore it will also show wear faster. Usually you’ll also see it earlier on the pillow. Therefore, it is best to replace a pillowcase after about three years. On average, a cover needs to be replaced after about five years.
Why did my duvet go flat?
Usually the inside of your ticking has become dirty and more damaged down is present in your fill. As a result, your down does not come into the ticking nicely and powerfully filled. Or the duvet is badly shaken and always slept on the same side. In that case, the down shifts and you also get open, flat strips.
How long does a duvet last – Conclusion.
On average, a duvet lasts about 10 years. This is highly dependent on the filling materials chosen and the ticking. If the duvet suits your characteristics with regard to perspiration, moisture regulation and warmth as a sleeper, it will often last longer. How you care for the duvet is also inextricably linked to its longevity.
