Duvet Covers and Inserts

The best filling for a duvet depends on warmth and care preferences. Down offers the most warmth for its weight and a soft, lofty feel, while down alternatives and cotton fills are easier to wash and better for allergy sufferers or warmer sleepers. A duvet insert holds the fill and slips inside a duvet cover, so you can keep the same insert and change covers as your bedding evolves.

To keep a duvet from shifting inside its cover, use the corner ties found inside most duvet covers, looping them through the fabric loops sewn into each corner of the duvet insert. Closing the cover fully, by buttons, snaps, or a zip, keeps everything anchored, and matching the insert size to the duvet cover prevents bunching so the two move as one.

A duvet cover goes over a duvet insert, the plain, filled inner layer that provides the warmth. The cover works like a large pillowcase, protecting the insert and letting you change the look of your bed without buying new bedding. Bassett offers duvet inserts and covers separately as well as together, so you can pair a fresh cover with an insert you already own.

As a general rule, wash a duvet cover every 1 to 2 weeks, about as often as your sheets, since it is the layer that touches you and collects oils and dust. A duvet insert needs washing far less often, usually a few times a year, and airing it between washes keeps it fresh. Always follow the care label on your specific bedding.

Duvet covers protect a duvet insert and let you easily restyle a bed. They slip over the insert and close at one end, shielding the fill from wear and washing while letting you swap colors and patterns with the season. A duvet cover set, which pairs the cover with matching shams, makes it simple to refresh a whole bed at once.

The easiest way to put on a duvet cover is the roll method: turn the cover inside out, lay the duvet insert on top, tie or button the corners together, then roll the two up from one end and flip the cover right-side out over the roll. Fasten the closure and shake it out. Matching the sizes of the duvet set and insert keeps the fit smooth.

Choose a duvet cover that matches the size of your duvet insert and your bed, so a queen insert pairs with a queen duvet cover. If you prefer more drape or share the bed, sizing up to the next duvet cover adds coverage on the sides. Size charts on each product page list exact dimensions to help you match a duvet set to your mattress.