Buying bedding should be simple. In practice you are met with thread counts that range from 180 to 1000, a dozen words for the same weave, four UK bed sizes that are not quite what you would expect, and a tog rating system nobody ever explains.
So here is the whole thing in plain English: what actually matters, what doesn't, and how to choose a duvet set you will still be pleased with in five years. We have been making bed linen since 1846, which is long enough to have opinions.
The short version
- Size the duvet and cover up if you share a bed. Sheets and pillowcases stay true to your mattress size.
- 400 thread count cotton suits more people than anything else.
- Weave matters as much as thread count: percale sleeps cool, sateen feels plush.
- Choose cotton-rich if you want to stop ironing.
- 10.5 tog works year round in most UK homes.
Start with size
UK bedding sizes are standardised, but the duvet is always bigger than the mattress. That overhang is what stops you fighting over the covers at 3am. A King duvet is not the same width as a King mattress, and that confuses almost everybody.
| Size | Duvet cover | Pillowcases | Fits mattress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 137 x 200cm | 1 | 90 x 190cm |
| Double | 200 x 200cm | 2 | 135 x 190cm |
| King | 230 x 220cm | 2 | 150 x 200cm |
| Super King | 260 x 220cm | 2 | 180 x 200cm |
The tip worth knowing. If you sleep with someone who steals the covers, size up the duvet and its cover only. A King duvet on a double bed is a genuinely transformative upgrade for a few pounds more. Your fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases must still match the mattress, so a double bed still takes a double fitted sheet.
Thread count, honestly
Thread count is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. More threads generally means a smoother, denser, more durable cloth, up to a point. Past roughly 800 the gains get very small, and some very high numbers are reached by counting multi-ply yarns creatively rather than by weaving anything better.
What actually matters is thread count and the quality of the cotton together. A well-made 400 thread count percale in good long-staple cotton will outlast a cheap 1000.
Crisp, light, breathable and hard-wearing. The everyday workhorse, and what most hotels use for family rooms. Our Studio 1846 sets sit here, at 200 thread count in a cotton-rich easy-care weave.
Noticeably smoother and cooler to the touch, still practical to wash and dry. Our 400 thread count set is the one we recommend most often.
Dense, weighty, with a real lustre to it. It feels different the moment you turn back the cover, and it softens with every wash. Try the 800 or the 1000 thread count.
We have written a longer piece if you want the detail: what thread count actually means.
Fabric decides how your bed feels
100% cotton
Breathable, absorbent and it gets softer with age. Cotton is the default for a reason. It creases, and that is the trade-off, but it regulates temperature better than anything synthetic, which matters if you run hot at night.
Cotton-rich, or easy care
A blend, typically around 55% cotton to 45% polyester. You lose a little breathability and gain a great deal of convenience: it dries far quicker, resists creasing, and in most cases needs no ironing at all. If you have children, a tumble dryer and limited patience, this is the sensible choice. Our Studio 1846 range is 200 thread count cotton-rich with an easy-care finish, in bold modern prints.
Percale or sateen?
These are weaves, not fabrics, and they are the reason two 400 thread count sets can feel completely different.
Percale
A simple one-over-one-under weave. Matte, crisp and cool, with the classic hotel feel. Best if you sleep warm.
Sateen
Floats more threads on the surface for a silky finish with a subtle sheen. Slightly warmer and more drapey. Best if you like a plush bed.
Linen
Exceptionally breathable and gets better with every wash, but it is expensive and it is meant to look rumpled. Buy it if you like that relaxed look, not if creases will bother you.
Don't forget what goes inside
Beautiful bed linen over a tired old duvet is a wasted opportunity. The filling does most of the work in how a bed actually feels.
Tog rating measures warmth, not quality or weight.
Light cover for warm months, or for anyone who sleeps hot all year.
Spring and autumn, and the best year-round choice for most centrally heated homes.
For genuinely cold bedrooms, or if you like a heavy, cocooning bed in winter.
Natural fillings such as duck feather and down, or goose down, are lighter for the same warmth, drape better around you and last longer. Microfibre is hypoallergenic, washable and considerably cheaper, which makes it the practical pick for children's rooms and spare beds.
Pillow check. Front sleepers want soft and flat, back sleepers want medium, side sleepers need firm support to keep the neck level with the spine. Fold one in half: if it doesn't spring back, it has had its day. Replace every two to three years. See our pillow range.
How to make it last
Five rules
- Wash at 40°C. Hotter degrades the fibres and fades colour without cleaning noticeably better.
- Don't overload the machine. Bedding needs room to move or it simply doesn't get clean.
- Skip the fabric softener. It coats cotton fibres and reduces absorbency over time. White vinegar in the rinse does the job better.
- Take it out of the dryer slightly damp and put it straight on the bed. It finishes wrinkle-free and you will never need the iron.
- Rotate two or three sets. Bedding that rests between uses lasts markedly longer.
Colour and pattern
White is the hotel choice for a reason. It looks crisp, it goes with everything, and it can be washed hard and bleached back to new. The catch is that it shows everything and needs washing separately.
Mid-tones like stone, sage and soft grey are the forgiving middle ground: they hide the everyday marks that white doesn't, and they sit happily with almost any wall colour. Darker shades feel cocooning in winter but show lint and pet hair badly.
The rule that saves money. Buy the bold print for the guest room and the plain for your own bed. You look at your own bedding every day, and prints tire far faster than plains do. Browse plain bedding and patterned bed linen.
How many sets do you need?
Three per bed is the number that works: one on the bed, one in the wash, one in the airing cupboard. Two is workable but leaves you stuck if something gets spilled. More than three and you are storing bedding you rarely reach for, and cotton stored for years yellows slightly at the folds.
Wash bed linen weekly if you can, fortnightly at the outside. Pillowcases more often than that if you are prone to breakouts.
So what should you buy?
If you want one recommendation: a 400 thread count 100% cotton duvet set in a colour you won't tire of, sizing the duvet up if you share a bed. That suits more people than anything else we sell.
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher thread count always better?
No. Thread count improves smoothness and durability up to roughly 800, after which the gains are marginal. The quality and staple length of the cotton matters just as much: a good 400 will comfortably outlast a poor 1000.
What size duvet do I need for a double bed?
A standard double duvet cover is 200 x 200cm, which suits a 135 x 190cm mattress. If you share a bed and one of you pulls the covers, putting a King duvet and cover (230 x 220cm) on a double bed is the cheapest sleep upgrade there is. Buy a King duvet to go inside it, and keep the fitted sheet a double.
What is the difference between percale and sateen?
Both are weaves rather than fabrics. Percale is a plain one-over-one-under weave that is matte, crisp and cool, the classic hotel finish. Sateen floats more threads on the surface for a silkier feel with a slight sheen, and sleeps a touch warmer.
Does cotton-rich bedding really need no ironing?
Largely, yes. A cotton-rich blend with an easy-care finish creases far less than pure cotton, and if you take it out of the dryer slightly damp and put it straight on the bed, it finishes flat on its own.
How often should I replace my bedding?
Good cotton duvet covers last five years or more with proper care. Replace them when the fabric thins, the colour goes flat or the seams start to give. Pillows are a different matter: every two to three years, without exception.
What tog duvet should I buy?
For most centrally heated UK homes, 10.5 tog works year-round. Choose 4.5 tog for summer and 13.5 tog for winter or a genuinely cold bedroom.