Many people wrongly associate down bedding with being too warm, hard to care for or being a source of bedding allergies. In fact down bedding when bought correctly offers a great choice for the consumer in terms of comfort. Down bedding is a great eco friendly option as well because it allows you to lower your thermostat in the winter which in turn saves money. But the question at hand is if you can use down bedding in the summer and if so why and which types?

Down bedding is measured by how lofty or fluffy it is or in technical terms its fill power. Fill power is a measurement of how much volume is filled with a standard amount of down (technically 1 oz of down is placed in a calibrated tube and a weight is added on top to see how resistant the filling is). The higher the fill power the fluffier the material is and thus how warm it can keep you. Consumers generally do not like heavy things on them so down bedding provides warmth without the weight. Thus a high fill power comforter can keep you as warm as a low fill power comforter assuming the weight is the same. Down bedding allows the heat from your body to stay in balance.

Most households prefer to keep their usage of air conditioning in the summer to a minimum not only to save energy and natural resources but also because it can be expensive. So in the summer the heat and humidity provide a challenge for most consumers and they need to select their summertime bedding carefully. Buying something too thin will offer no coverage and can mean an uncomfortable night's sleep because many of us are used to cuddling with something. Buying something too warm can be uncomfortable and offer night sweats.

The reason down bedding can be a good summer time choice is because the material is typically made with cotton which is an all natural breathable material. Other options you may find include polyester fabric blends which can trap too much heat and offer discomfort so avoid anything but cotton or natural fabrics (Tencel Lyocell is a great choice for cool comfort and is derived from Eucalyptus trees).

When selecting down bedding for the summertime we recommend a lighter weight down blanket. Down blankets contain about half the amount of down filling as a down comforter. Most down blankets use a duck down filling and use a sewn thru construction to keep the filling in place. Many down blankets use a decorative trim like a satin border and or sometimes a self flanged border. Down blankets are usually oversized and are meant for the top of the bed above a flat sheet. Down blankets are oversized and can sometimes be tucked in on the foot or the side of the beds for a clean finished look.

In the summertime you may also which to consider using a featherbed. Featherbeds usually contain a blend of 5% down and 95% feathers. Most featherbeds are about 3 to 4 inches thick and can help provide soft loft comfort. Another secret about featherbeds is that they allow air to circulate thus making them a great choice to provide cool comfort underneath a sleeper.