Now that autumn is approaching; winter cannot be far behind. In a country like India, winter is a welcome change after the blazing hot summers. But it is not comfortable and welcome for all alike. Some are scared of the winters with their chilling environment and freezing temperatures. Some are comfortable thinking that they can snuggle up in their warm beds under heavy and warm comforter sets.
And this is a true fact, but for that, you need to know everything about comforters and quilts also everything before you buy blankets from shopping malls and branded companies.
Difference Between Quilts, Comforter Sets & Blankets
What Are Quilts?
A quilt is a warm piece of bedding item that is made of three layers of warm fabric stitched or quilted together before they are sold. The topmost layer is a decorative sort of fabric that is woven. Then comes the wadding or the batting layer. It provides the woolly softness of the quilt. The innermost layer is the backing layer which provides the quilt with its firmness.
You will often see that the uppermost layer or the decorative fabric layer is composed of many different pieces of cloth all stitched together to form a beautiful piece of an ornamental layer.
What Are Blankets?
Before you buy blankets, you must know what they are. It is a very exuberant woven covering that is ideally made from fleece or wool. It is just one layer of material that is, in itself, very thick and warm. Indian winters are enough to tide over with a blanket. The item is very heavy and cannot be hand washed.
It is most of the time sent to the dry cleaners’ to get them cleaned after use. But since they are very expensive and difficult to wash every time, they are generally covered with thin cotton covering so that they are clean. After the winters are gone by, they can be just kept in the sun to get all the germs and bacteria in them wiped away before they are again packed and put away for use the next winter.
What Are Comforters?
A comforter set is a bit on the lighter side when compared with quilts and blankets. It is a piece of warm winter bedding item that is composed of two layers of decorative fabric that are stitched together. In between, there is a filling of fibres or down to help with the warmness quotient.
The stitches are put in place so that the filling material, namely the down or fibres do not move from their positions. This gives evenness to the whole comforter making it warm from top to bottom. Thus you can realize that the stitches are entirely functional and not decorative, unlike the quilt.
The Materials That Warm Items Are Made From
Blankets
As a consumer, you may be wondering what blankets are made from so that you can understand well what you are purchasing. There are many different types of materials that blankets are manufactured from. Here is a list that you can peruse before you buy blankets. They are:
- Cotton fabric blankets are soft, light, and hypo-allergic and can easily be washed and maintained. But it is suitable for a warmer region where the winters are mild.
- Cashmere blankets are very warm and best suited for very cold regions with heavy snowfall. The material is moisture-absorbent and breathable. Therefore it keeps the user very dry and warm.
- A fleece alternative is suitable for people with an allergy to wool. It is a synthetic material that can be easy to maintain and wash at home.
- Acrylic is another synthetic material that can keep users very warm, but they need to be machine-washed. But they are also fade-resistant.
- Polyester is highly durable and lasts a long time compared to other materials. Retaining its shape, it can be washed in the machine after usage.
Quilts
The upper layer in a quilt is made from decorative materials that are not intended to give warmth. But the wadding or layer of batting serves the purpose of warmth-giving, and it is made from a variety of materials. They can be made from cotton, wool, polyester, bamboo, or a blend of cotton and polyester.
Comforters
Comforter sets can also be made from various materials. These materials can vary from anything between cotton, wool, down, or silk fibre fillings to polyester or microfiber fillings. All are very warm and provide comfort to tide over the Indian winters with relative ease and comfort.
Tips On How To Choose The Best Bedding Items
There are certain tips that you could avidly follow to buy the best warm bedding items that you can buy. If they are followed religiously, you can pin down the best products that are easily available in the markets these days. Look for the following factors:
- The comfort should be in the uppermost corner of your mind when you select an item. The material and the weave of the fabric play a significant role in its comfort factor. The ideal thread count should be 200-400 for your items. The higher the thread count, the warmer your bedding becomes.
- The breathability factor is also an important consideration here. If you live in a mildly cool climate, then the breathability can be higher, but if you live in a very cold climate, then it should be a bit thicker, where breathability does not matter. In fact, one layer of the warm item should have synthetic in it to give the desired warmth.
- Choose fabrics that do not cause any sort of allergy o discomfort. It should be resistant to mould, mites and bacteria.
- Quality should also be another important factor that you must keep in mind. No matter what your urge may be to buy cheaper items, resist that because they will not give you that desired effect that you purchased your item for. It will not serve its purpose rightfully.
If you do not have the right warm bedding items, your sleep is bound to get affected, and you stand to lose precious sleep. So when choosing, make sure that they do not cause any sort of irritation on the skin or trap too much heat, causing excessive warmth to disrupt your sleep. It should also not be light and make you shiver in the dead of night.
