Should You Be Switching Your Duvet As the Summer Arrives? Top 5 Facts About Summer Duvets – 冷氣被
25 Apr 2023
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As the summer temperature rises, you swap pants for shorts and boots for sandals, but do you need to swap your thick duvet (or comforter) with a lightweight duvet (or comforter) in your bedroom? If you are doing so, you’re not alone! Summer duvets (or comforters) are commonplace in Hong Kong households, and they even have their own name - "冷氣被" meaning “air-conditioning duvet”. In the U.S., they are also called summer comforters. As this name suggests, it is more than just a blanket, it is also the perfect bedding item for you to survive Hong Kong’s weather.
For many people, the only difference between a winter duvet and a summer duvet is thickness. But there’s a lot more to the design of a duvet (or comforter) than simply thickness. Duvet design is backed by science, but does science require Hong Kong families to switch to a lightweight summer duvet (or comforter)? Let us unveil the top 5 facts you should know when making your choice of the best summer duvets:
It is not an April’s fool joke! Filled with either cotton, polyester or microfiber, summer duvets are available to buy separately or as part of a thicker duvet set (子母被) which is common in Hong Kong for higher flexibility throughout the year. However, if you arm yourself with the right knowledge and invest wisely, you can purchase one duvet that will provide optimal body temperature regulation and see you through all four seasons, sparing you the time it takes to switch duvets, the storage space in your tiny Hong Kong closet, and (importantly) your hard-earned dollars!
For those in Hong Kong, it is especially important that you choose the correct duvet to meet your summer needs as the heat and humidity makes practically every Hong Konger reach for the air-con; a low breathability duvet will make you feel hot and a thinner low-insulation duvet will make you feel the cold with your air conditioner turned on full blast. So make sure you look for a duvet (or comforter) that is breathable but provides proper insulation. Not only will this help you sleep in summer, it may even keep you warm in winter!
Today’s modern choice of a lightweight summer duvet (or comforter) is one with microfibre filling, a cost-effective yet highly efficient way to remain cozy - with or without the obligatory air-con. Although you might think a cotton and polyester mix would be a good choice for summer duvet filling, this combination is heavy and would be quite uncomfortable as it does not breathe well.
At the higher end of the market, you can find microfibre filling that mimics natural goose or duck down but is 100% hypoallergenic. The way microfibre filling achieves this amazing feat is by using high-grade synthetic fibres that have been shaved to mimic the texture and warmth of down. The benefit? A lower price, lighter weight, zero allergy concerns regarding animal products! As a prime example of a smart way to use microfiber filling in a duvet (or comforter), you don’t need to look further than the All-Season Duvet™.
When looking to choose the ideal duvet there are some features that are nice to have but there are some other elements that are vital but easily missed out.
Our must-have list includes:
On top of this, depending on your budget and preferences, you may want to consider whether you want to have multiple duvets or just one that is suitable for year-round use. Also, any tests conducted or certifications attained are further testaments to the quality of the item you are purchasing.
Once you’ve selected your duvet, spend the same amount of time choosing your bedding. Look for 100% cotton of good quality. An example is the Egyptian Cotton Hotel Sheets™, which uses the finest Egyptian cotton, a species of cotton that is used exclusively in luxury products due to its rarity and high cost. By using long fibres with few exposed ends, the threads in sheets made from this type of cotton are not only smoother but also 4X stronger and softer than regular cotton.
Combine this with a 1-ply one-over-four sateen weave and a thread count of 400 and you can see why our sheets are used exclusively by leading luxury hotels worldwide.
The weather in Hong Kong can be unpredictable in the months leading into summer. It can be warm and sweaty in the morning but turns cool and windy in the afternoon. Make sure you stay on top of the changing weather (and below your favorite duvet) as we move into the hot months of the year!
Now armed with our summer duvet guide, we wish you the best of luck choosing the perfect lightweight summer duvet or all-season duvet that suits Hong Kong’s notoriously fickle weather.
